Fitzgerald comfortable after surgery

Racing:  Mick Fitzgerald is "comfortable" after undergoing eight hours of surgery on a neck injury sustained in a fall in the…

Racing: Mick Fitzgerald is "comfortable" after undergoing eight hours of surgery on a neck injury sustained in a fall in the John Smith's Grand National.

The 37-year-old jump jockey had the procedure yesterday at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to realign three vertebrae and two discs.

Fitzgerald suffered the injury after being dumped from L'Ami at the second fence in Saturday feature at Aintree.

Professional Jockeys' Association chief executive, Josh Apiaifi, told www.jagb.co.uk: "Mick Fitzgerald underwent an eight-hour operation on Sunday to re-align three vertebrae and two discs in his neck, from the injury he sustained in his fall in the Grand National.

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"He is reported to have come through the operation well and also has movement in his limbs.

"He is obviously being closely monitored by the medical team at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and investigations are also being made into the possibility of him being moved closer to home.

"Chloe, Mick's partner, has spoken to him after the operation and he is in a comfortable condition."