Bradburne set for hospital switch

Mark Bradburne is likely to be moved to a hospital nearer home after doctors in Glasgow decided not to operate on his back.

Bradburne damaged one of the vertebrae in his spine when unseated from Soldiers Tree, trained by his mother Sue, in the Third Time Lucky Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on Sunday.

“He’s in much better spirits. They’ve decided not to operate because they are happy enough where the fragments of bone are,” said his agent Russ James.

“The fragments of bone are floating forward as opposed to coming back towards the spine, so they have taken a view not to operate.

“There is talk, if they can, to get him airlifted to Radcliffe Hospital to be nearer home, sometime today with a bit of luck.

“It’s not a stable fracture, but it’s not an unstable fracture. He’s going to have to remain on his back for the immediate future.

“The prognosis of him riding again is very good, but he’s going to spend a certain amount of time on the sidelines.”