Grand National winner Auroras Encore has been retired after fracturing a leg.

The 12-year-old was a shock 66-1 winner of the 2013 Aintree feature for trainer Sue Smith but had failed to hit the mark in three subsequent starts.

He finished ninth in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last Saturday and it later emerged he had suffered an injury during the race.

The problem required surgery and after undergoing an operation on Tuesday, the announcement came that Auroras Encore would not race again.

"These things happen. I just want him home to have a happy retirement," Smith told the Yorkshire Post.

"He has had an operation to a repair a fracture. They got him up successfully after the surgery and he was staying overnight in the operating box. Fingers crossed - it's still early days.

"He won a National for us. It doesn't get bigger than that. He doesn't owe us anything."