Grand National winner welcomed home

By Paul Ward

LONDON, April 10 PA - Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania has returned home to a hero's welcome, just hours after being discharged from hospital.

The 23-year-old rider triumphed at Aintree on Saturday aboard 66-1 shot Auroras Encore but was airlifted to hospital the following day after falling from Stagecoach Jasper at Hexham.

The jockey was in Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary for two nights but has been released today and travelled to his home town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders for a homecoming parade on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to congratulate him as he toured the town centre on the back of a truck before speaking on a stage in front of the Auld Mill pub.

Mania said the last few days had been "crazy" and that he was overwhelmed by the turnout in his home town.

"The National is the biggest race in the world and it's mad really that I won, but to see all the people here is heart-warming," Mania said.

Mania suffered a tiny fracture to his C7 vertebra as well as soft tissue and ligament damage due to his fall on Sunday.

He now hopes to be back in the saddle in time for the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday week.