Nick Dundee was in a Lambourn veterinary hospital last night after a heavy fall in yesterday's Royal & SunAlliance Chase. The Edward O'Grady-trained gelding underwent X-rays on his off-hind leg which he injured in a dramatic spill at the third last fence.

O'Grady, who lost the brilliant novice Golden Cygnet in a fall at Ayr in 1978, said yesterday evening that he was devastated by the incident.

"The horse is very lame, seriously lame. I didn't see much of the fall myself because I was standing on the ground, but it is devastating for everybody."

O'Grady added: "It looks as if he may have a chip at the end of his cannon bone or on his seasomoid. He's gone to the Equine Valley Hospital and is in the best of hands, but it looks serious.

"One of the reasons we ran in this race rather than the Gold Cup was because we thought it would be safer. It looked the correct thing to do and I believe it was. These things just happen."

The 5 to 4 favourite, and red hot Irish banker of the day, looked to have the £100,000 race within his grasp before the fall. Groans of financial hurt from the masses in the stands turned to gasps of dismay when Nick Dundee got up after the fall appearing to have broken his off-hind leg.

Jockey Norman Williamson, who had asked the horse for a big jump at the fence only for Nick Dundee to get too close, quickly caught him, an action which probably saved Nick Dundee's life.

"I thought he had broken his leg and caught him, but then it looked like a dislocated stifle. At the top of hill I turned to Paul (Carberry) and said `It's a canter'. He told me he was beat. "Nick Dundee met the fence spot on but went straight through the middle of it. I just hope he'll be alright," said Williamson.

Carberry went on to win on the 16 to 1 Looks Like Trouble for Dublin-born trainer Noel Chance, who won the 1997 Gold Cup with Mr Mulligan.