Walsh recovery well under way as he plots comeback
Ruby Walsh expects to return to race riding next month as he continues his recovery from a broken leg that has kept him out of action since a fall at Punchestown on Nov 18 last year.
Walsh is making good progress and should be back in plenty of time for the Cheltenham Festival, where he has been champion nine times in the past 10 years and 11 times in all. During the past 10 years, he has ridden an amazing 40 winners at the meeting.
He told Racing UK yesterday: “I’d say it’s looking mid-to-late February [for a return to action] – that would be the plan. The physiotherapy is going well and the doctors are happy with the bone. It’s essentially 12 weeks for the bone to heal and then however many weeks it takes you to get right.
“Seven-and-a-half [weeks] done, seven-and-a-half to go.”
Walsh would have been heartened by the news trainer Willie Mullins believes the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown next month is “back on the radar” for his 2015 Champion Hurdler Faugheen.
Mullins has yet to establish the precise reasons behind the 10-yearold’s dismal performance in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, when he pulled up. However, Faugheen impressed Mullins in a canter on Monday morning and could now return to Leopardstown on Feb 3 in a race he won two years ago.
Mullins told The Irish Times: “It [the Irish Champion Hurdle] wasn’t there before, but it’s come back on the radar with what I’ve seen.
“I was very taken with the canter and our vet checked him over immediately afterwards and said he was fine. During the week it looks like I’ll be able to put him back into full work.”
At Doncaster yesterday, Rene’s Girl earned herself a tilt at Grade One company with a foot-perfect, front-running victory in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares’ Chase.
Harry Skelton soon had the mare in an easy rhythm and, as her rivals struggled to get into contention, she pulled further clear and recorded an eased-down 10-length success.
“We’ll go straight for the Grade One Manifesto Novice Chase at the Grand National meeting and take on the boys,” said trainer Dan Skelton.
“She’s good and she loves to jump. She was only a middle-ofthe-road hurdler, but fences bring her to life.”