Racing:Ruby Walsh will step up his impending return to the saddle after nearly four months out with a broken leg by riding in the annual pre-Cheltenham workouts after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday.
The jockey aims to be firing on all cylinders in time for the festival next month after breaking his leg in a fall on Corrick Bridge at Down Royal in November, just an hour after winning the JNwine.com Champion Chase on Kauto Star.
He has been riding out for several days for his father Ted Walsh, as well as for his main Irish retainer Willie Mullins, and plans to do more work at Paul Nicholls’ stable early next week ahead of a return to action soon afterwards.
“I’ve spoken to him about Sunday and I imagine he’s going to be there,” said Mullins. “I’m going to have a few jumping there on Sunday and not many galloping as I have had over the years.
“He rode work for me yesterday and will do so tomorrow as well and he’ll probably school over fences for me on Sunday. I told him I was going to take a few horses to Leopardstown and he said he would do whatever I wanted him to.”
Leopardstown officials are looking forward to the usual busy time after the scheduled programme. General manager Tom Burke said: “They tend just to come along on the day itself. There’s no actual specific requirements of booking in beforehand. I expect all the leading yards to have a few here.”
There will be plenty of interesting action at the meeting itself with a quality field declared for the Ballsbridge Hurdle, including the 2007 Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity. Trainer Robbie Hennessy is expecting a better run from the 11-year-old, who was tailed off last in the Irish Champion Hurdle after making a bad mistake.
“The ground is drying out every hour. Hopefully we won’t get too much rain. He’s in great form. The last day he made a bad mistake and Andrew (McNamara) did well to stick with him,” Hennessy said. “The conditions on Sunday suit him so I’m expecting a big run. It’s not going to be a walkover by any means. There’s definitely a few good horses in it, but, on ratings, he’s well in.”
Tony Martin sending Psycho on a confidence-boosting mission following his blunder over fences at Thurles last month.
“He was running quite nicely but he did his usual thing and let fly at the fifth-last and landed on top of the fence,” he said.
“He lost his confidence when he did that. Paul (Carberry) did the right thing and looked after him after that. He can be brave and does a silly think like that every now and again.
“He’s been popping over nicely at home since then and we’re going to give him a run over hurdles. Catch me is probably the one and Sublimity might be long in the tooth, though he is a Champion Hurdle winner.
“It all depends what happens on Sunday but it wouldn’t be the end of the world
if he didn’t get to Cheltenham. We’re keeping all our options open.”