I will return soon and my focus is on the Fox

I have to sit it out again this weekend. But I have my sights set on resuming midweek, and I’m looking forward to riding Fox Norton again next Saturday.

The shoulder was badly-bruised and has taken a bit of time. But I’m confident I’ll be back in a few days.

And Fox Norton, so impressive when he won the Grade 2 in Cheltenham, is my main focus for the week ahead. He’s on course for Saturday’s Tingle Creek in Sandown and a clash with whichever of his stars Willie Mullins sends over, probably DOUVAN.

We have plenty of top-class action to enjoy this weekend, particularly the three Grade 1’s in Fairyhouse tomorrow.

And the most interesting clash of the weekend will involve NICHOLS CANYON and my favourite mare APPLE’S JADE, right, in the Hatton’s Grace tomorrow.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the mare – I’ve won five Grade 1’s on her – and she’ll be helped by her recent win in the Lismullen Hurdle.

She has taken on and beaten the boys before. But this is different, facing a horse of Nichols Canyon’s calibre over what is arguably his best trip, two and half miles.

Nichols Canyon won the Stayers Hurdle in March. And he ran another fantastic race when only narrowly beaten by Unowhatimeanharry in Punchestown.

It’ll be a tactical race tomorrow. And a lot will depend on how fit Nichols Canyon is. If he’s at his best, he’ll be very tough to beat.

And the race will probably tell Gordon and the Gigginstown team where they should be going with Apple’s Jade – if she wins, she could go down the Champion Hurdle route. If not, she’ll probably concentrate on mares races.

The novice races are crackers, too. I know DEATH DUTY is odds-on for the Drinmore. But his jumping hasn’t impressed me over fences. And he’ll have to jump a lot better this time.

RATHVINDEN has plenty of experience, but his chase form is against summer horses. And, although DINARIA DES OBEAUX has won twice over fences and is getting 15lb from most of his rivals, she was short of the top level as a juvenile hurdler last season and lacked a gear over two miles. So two and a half is probably ideal for her.

The Royal Bond looks even more interesting. It always sorts the men from the boys and bursts a few bubbles every year.

I’ve been surprised and impressed by MENGLI KHAN – he looks like he’s improved a stone since his juvenile days. And we’ll learn a lot more about him tomorrow. Joseph O’brien’s horse LE RICHEBOURG has impressed me too, although his hurdle form was against summer horses. And he wants good ground. RED JACK won his two bumpers well and was workmanlike first time over hurdles in Naas. And the Mullins runner MAKITORIX looked good in Listowel and is highly-regarded.