CHAMPION JOCKEY Ruby Walsh will miss next week’s Galway Festival and could remain on the sidelines for another four weeks.

Walsh broke his arm in a fall from Celestial Halo in April’s Aintree Hurdle, but had hoped to resume racing in time for Galway, which begins on Monday.

However, after consulting his surgeon yesterday, it has been decided the injury needs more time.

“The surgeon is very happy with the way it is healing but he felt he couldn’t yet stand over clearing him,” Walsh’s sister, and agent, Jennifer, said. “He felt it might be better to wait for another three to four weeks.”

Walsh won a memorable Galway Plate two years ago on Oslot for the British champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who will return to Ballybrit next week for another crack at Ireland’s big midsummer steeplechase prize.

Five Dream is as low as 8 to 1 in some lists for the Plate and is on course for a first start since finishing runner-up at Newton Abbot in April.

“He’s probably a better horse than Oslot who was very well handicapped that year. That was his Gold Cup and he hasn’t won a race since,” Nicholls said.

“This horse has maybe kept a bit back for himself and everything has to go right for him. The Plate will probably be this horse’s Gold Cup as well, and that’s why we’re having a go at it.

“There is a question mark in the back of my mind about the trip. He hasn’t actually won over it, but he was staying on over two miles and five at Cheltenham last season. He has won on all sorts of ground.”