Walsh is out of the Festival

RUBY Walsh expects to find out next week how long he will be on the sidelines after aggravating the broken leg i njury which had kept him on the sidelines for the previous four months in a fall at Cheltenham.

The winning-most jockey in Festival history will miss the final two days of the showpiece meeting after parting company with Al Boum Photo at the penultimate fence in the second race of the day, the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase.

He was taken to Gloucester Royal Hospital for X-rays and f urther assessment. The 38-yearold rider only returned to competitive action l ast Thursday, after suffering his original i njury at Punchestown on November 18.

Walsh said: “My right leg is in a cast and the fall opened the fracture at the back. I won’t know the full extent until Tuesday.”

A statement issued by his sister and agent, Jennifer, said: “Ruby has aggravated a recent leg injury and will see his consultant in Dublin next week for assessment.”

It had been feared earlier in the day the leg could be broken again but trainer Willie Mullins said the i njury was not as serious as first thought and even raised the possibility of Walsh returning to the saddle before the end of the season.

Mullins explained: “The information I have is that he has a stress fracture on the old break.

“He might need a cast for maybe three weeks or a month and then he could be back. Instead of being back for Galway, he could be back for Punchestown at the end of April.”

Ruby Walsh