Broadway Boy ‘coming home’ in positive update after horror fall during Grand National

Broadway Boy, ridden by Tom Bellamy, suffered a sickening-looking fall at the 25th fence when leading the race

A positive update was offered on Broadway Boy after the horse suffered a horror fall during the 2025 Grand National at Aintree.

In total, only 16 of the 34 horses finished the always controversial race – where conversations around horse welfare only grow louder with each passing year – as 18 were either pulled up, unseated their rider or fell.

The most serious of those appeared to be Broadway Boy and Celebre d'Allen, who were both assessed on course by the vets. The fall of Broadway Boy, owned by Nigel Twiston-Davies, looked particularly sickening as he landed hard on his head and neck when tumbling awkwardly forwards at the 25th fence, Valentine’s Brook, having been leading the race by a length.

Broadway Boy fell at fence 25 when leading the Grand National (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire)

Around an hour after the race finished, an update was provided on Broadway Boy’s condition, stating that he had been treated on the course, assessed by vets and had walked onto a horse ambulance and returned to the stables for further assessment.

On Sunday morning, Willy Twiston-Davies - an assistant trainer and son of Nigel - confirmed on social media that the horse was leaving hospital and “coming home”, while brother Sam added that Broadway Boy was “stiff and sore”.

His jockey, Tom Bellamy, was unseated during the fall and landed on his knees, with it later being revealed that Bellamy was taken to a local hospital to be assessed.

ITV were criticised for not mentioning the fall for the remainder of the race or in the immediate aftermath and they then understandably skipped that fence during their full race analysis, with co-presenter Oli Bell saying that an update would follow as soon as there was news.

At 4.45pm, presenter Ed Chamberlin read a statement from the Grand National which stated: "Broadway Boy and Celebre D'Allen are being assessed by expert veterinary teams. Further updates will follow in due course."

Broadway Boy had been riding in high-class races for a few years (PA)

Celebre d'Allen had collapsed on the run-in of the race and it was later reported that stewards were holding an enquiry into the riding of the horse by jockey Micheal Nolan.

It was deemed he had continued in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground after the second-last fence. The rider and the Veterinary Officer were interviewed, and recordings of the incident were viewed. The rider was suspended for 10 days.

Much like Broadway Boy, Celebre d'Allen walked onto a horse ambulance and was taken back to his stables.

The British Horseracing Authority later expanded on the statements, tweeting: "Both horses [Broadway Boy and Celebre d’Allen] received immediate and extensive treatment by the vets, also calling on the first class facilities and various teams on site. This treatment and assessment will continue into the evening."

The Grand National was ultimately won by 33-1 outsider Nick Rockett, who held off last year’s winner I Am Maximus in a head-to-head battle down the home straight.

Victory meant an emotional triumph for the father-son duo of trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Patrick Mullins, with Willie training five of the first seven horses home.