Jack Kennedy could be back in the saddle by Christmas

Top jockey Jack Kennedy hasn't ruled out returning to action by Christmas after being found to have dislocated his shoulder in a fall at Navan on Sunday.

Initial fears that the Cheltenham Gold Cup winning rider may have broken his arm in a spill from the ill-fated Wide Reciever in a Beginners Chase proved unfounded after x-rays were taken at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown.

“He has dislocated his shoulder. It isn’t a broken arm as Jack feared at the time,” Kennedy’s agent, Kevin O’Ryan, said on Monday. “He is hopeful he might be back for the Christmas action.”

Kennedy has endured a torrid time with injuries over the last number of years.

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In February of last year he missed seven months after breaking his leg in a fall in the very next race following victory in the Irish Gold Cup on Delta Work.

The 22-year-old star also suffered leg breaks in both 2017 and 2016.

He joins a lengthening list of top jump jockeys currently out of action due to injury.

Champion Paul Townend is still on the sidelines after dislocating a shoulder at the Listowel festival in September while top claimer Jordan Gainford faces up to six weeks out due to a broken wrist suffered at Naas on Saturday.

Another leading rider, Sean Flanagan, is hopeful of a return at Christmas after fracturing a vertebrae in a schooling all last week.

His principal employer, Noel Meade, has reported he expects Flanagan to be back in action in six weeks.

“He’s fractured a vertebrae and he thinks it will be six weeks before he can get back. He’s sore.

“It happened schooling, a horse turned over with him on Wednesday morning - the last fence he was jumping,” Meade said.