Garden continues to make progress Monet's Garden continues to make heartening progress as he battles against a life-threatening hoof infection. The 13-year-old grey developed the career-ending affliction after suffering an injury when winning the Old Roan Chase for a third time at Aintree in October. Owner David Wesley Yates reports: "He's in a fine, stable condition, despite the reduction in medication - and it was a pretty big reduction. "There's a long way to go, but we were looking for a window of progress when he didn't have any bad days, and we've now found that. He was having good days but was having bad days a week or so ago, but the bad days appear to have ended." Monet's Garden remains at Oaklands Veterinary Centre in Yarm, Cleveland, but could soon return to trainer Nicky Richards' yard in Cumbria. His plight has not only touched the racing fraternity, but has also spiked the interest of an American veterinary specialist, who has invested his commitment into alleviating the infected hoof. Wesley Yates added: "The next big hurdle to overcome is to get him standing four-square. His heel is wedged at the back to keep pressure off the hoof so we are going to have to let that down in time. "That will be a gradual process, but a specialist in Michigan in America has read about the problem and is working very closely with the vets. He's still at Oaklands but, in time, we'd be hoping to get him home so he can be with his pals." Monet's Garden won 17 of his 32 races and accrued over £680,000 in prize-money.
