Sir Gino has suffered a new blow in his recovery from serious injury after Nicky Henderson revealed his star is battling an infection.

The talented jumper was ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival for the second year running after he was found to have fractured his pelvis when he was pulled up during the International Hurdle in January. It was the first defeat of his career.

He was taken to a veterinary clinic in Tewkesbury and initial fears he may not survive were allayed 24 hours later when Henderson said he could make a full recovery but faced ‘a long journey back’.

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A year ago Henderson was forced to rule Joe and Marie Donnelly’s star performer out of the Game Spirit Chase as a result of a small bang to his leg which turned into a serious infection.

As a result he did not return to action until 12 months after his previous race when he defeated last year’s Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

In an update from Huntingdon, where he saddled Act Of Innocence to land the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle, Henderson said: “The injury is a fractured pelvis but that is not the main issue at the moment.

“He is under pretty intense scrutiny due to an infectious sort of thing internally which is worrying them a little bit and it’s a slightly different battlefield

“The fracture is OK, but we’ve just got to keep on top of everything and life is never easy. He doesn’t get much luck and if ever a horse deserved it, it is him.

“He’s so good it’s ridiculous – you have the best horse in the world but can’t do anything with him.

“He’s still in Gloucestershire and we’re trying to get him home but our vets and their vets are working together. He can only come home when they are happy and it’s time.

“We’re hoping as soon as we can, we get him back to his own hospital where he spent the six weeks last year and he will be much happier there.”

Act Of Innocence was cut to 10-1 from 16-1 by Ladbrokes for the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.