Jack Kennedy was due to put some of Gordon Elliott's Cheltenham Festival team through their paces after making his return to riding at Leopardstown.
Kennedy has been watching on from the sidelines since breaking his leg (for the sixth time) in November but was delighted to be given the all clear to resume race riding before the Cheltenham Festival.
Kennedy had two rides for Elliott, finishing third on Arabian Diamond before partnering 8/11 favourite Qualimita to finish second in the 1888 Restaurant Mares Maiden Hurdle after his mount tired on the run-in.
Qualimita had been left in front after Glens Lullaby fell in the back straight and Kennedy was relieved not to be brought down.
"I was following Sam [Ewing, jockey of Glens Lullaby]," he told Racing TV, "and was probably close enough to getting brought down but thankfully we got away with it and thankfully Sam is okay too."
“Today was a good starting point," he continued. "There’s a couple of entries in Thurles [on Thursday] and I’m sure I’ll be in Gowran and Naas over the weekend. We’ll tip away and see how we get on.”
Before his next ride Kennedy will play an important part in Elliott's Cheltenham Festival preparations with some of the key members of the team set to work after racing at Leopardstown, including Brighterdaysahead who is now bound for the Champion Hurdle to the delight of her jockey who was looking forward to getting back on board.
Kennedy said: "I had been [hoping for her to run in the Champion Hurdle], to be on one with a live chance in the Champion Hurdle is very exciting.
"Today will be my first day sitting on her I'd say, probably, since the Morgiana so I'm looking forward to getting my leg over her again. She looks great and the team are all happy with her so when they're happy, I'm happy."
Brighterdaysahead is the headline act in a strong book of rides which could also feature Stayers’ Hurdle champion Teahupoo, along with The Yellow Clay and Romeo Coolio, who are bound for the Turners and Supreme Novices' Hurdle contests respectively.
Kennedy added: “The Yellow Clay is a grand, unassuming horse who doesn’t show you a whole pile at home and then he gets to the racecourse and is very good. You like them that way and he’s going from strength to strength, so hopefully he keeps going that way.
"He probably doesn't do anything in a hurry and would trick you into thinking that he's not as quick as he actually is but I think he's quicker than people give him credit for; the day I won on him at Navan I was sitting third out the back and thinking I wasn't really going too well and we turned in for the third last and he just jumped on the bridle and quickened away well. He's quicker than people think he is.
“Romeo Coolio is very good as well. I think people have kind of forgotten about him a little bit since Willie’s [Mullins] horse [Kopek Des Bordes] won here at the Dublin Racing Festival. I think he could be going in under the radar a little bit.
"I’ve sat on Teahupoo a couple of times since I started back riding out and he’s in good form. I’m looking forward to him as well."
If given the choice, Kennedy has also identified his likely Weatherbys Champion Bumper ride in dual winner Kalypso’chance.
He said: “If I get the pick of them, I’d imagine I'd pick him. He’s another that wouldn’t show you a whole pile at home and then gets to the racecourse and comes alive and he looks to be the pick to me.”
When asked for a ride that he was looking forward to outside the big names, Kennedy dead-batted interview Gary O'Brien but did concede that this will be one of the strongest teams that Elliott has sent to Cheltenham, adding: "I can't think off the top of my head now to be honest.
"But there's plenty to look forward to and there's plenty of strength in depth there so fingers crossed for a good week."
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