Jamie Osborne was making fresh plans for a Cheltenham Festival comeback yesterday after the Jockey Club returned his licence to ride. He set himself a four-week target in which to begin work riding again in order to compete at the jumps season's highlight.

Osborne, sidelined with a broken left wrist, Dean Gallagher and Leighton Aspell are free to return to action after suspensions, imposed following their arrest last week, were lifted.

They met the Jockey Club's licensing committee for two hours yesterday when the decision to return their licences was explained.

Conditional jockey Aspell should be the first to resume on New Rising at Towcester today, provided the meeting survives a 7.30 a.m. inspection.

Gallagher will wait until Sandown on Saturday to make his reappearance.

Osborne said: "If I'm going to be ready to ride at Cheltenham I need to be riding out within four weeks."