ADRIAN MAGUIRE'S injuries sustained at Leicester on Tuesday are not as serious as first feared and he could be back in action for the Tote Gold Trophy Hurdle at Newbury on February 10th.

Maguire was riding Boss's Bank for David Nicholson in the opening Croxton Park Novices' Hurdle when he was involved in the four horse pile up which resulted in him being admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary with a suspected torn cruciate ligament in his left knee.

With the Cheltenham Festival only seven weeks away, it was feared Maguire would have to miss the meeting for the second year running but his agent Dave Roberts had brighter news yesterday. "Adrian has seen the specialist, Dr Jackson, and the injuries are not as serious as was first thought. It was thought he had cruciate ligament damage, but it is not those ligaments that are injured. I spoke to him on his mobile phone in London, and Dr Jackson reckons he should be out for no more than three weeks and possibly less, which means he could be back to ride in the Tote Gold Trophy."

Maguire also chipped a bone in his knee but hopes are better now.