Jack Kennedy is returning to race-riding from his latest injury layoff next week and in time for the Cheltenham Festival.
Gordon Elliott's stable jockey missed the Festival in 2023 after suffering a similar leg injury in the January of that year and, while early indications suggested he might struggle to be back in time for the March showpiece again this spring, he received the green light to return in time for the March showpiece.
“It’s great news to get this morning, I’m very happy,” Kennedy told Friday’s Nick Luck Daily Podcast.
“I was taking it day-by-day really and to be honest the day I broke it I thought that all the spring festivals were out of the question really so I started my rehab then and that started going very well so a big thanks to Gavin Egan, Wayne Middleton and the Irish Injured Jockeys’ Fund who have done all the work with me. It’s down to them really.”
“I feel fitter than I’ve ever been coming back from an injury. That’s a massive help but obviously you have to ride in a few races just to blow out the cobwebs and to get the lungs opened up again but I’m definitely fitter than I’ve ever been coming back.”
He was asked about which horses he was most excited about riding at Cheltenham and replied: “Brighterdaysahead in whatever race she goes for, she’s very exciting, then I suppose Teahupoo in the Stayers’. They’re probably the two main ones."
Regarding the Festival target for the former, he said: “I suppose there are two sides of it. You’d love to win a Champion Hurdle obviously and rather win a Champion Hurdle than a Mares' Hurdle, but if you’re coming out of there on Tuesday after having a winner in either race, whichever one you could win would be great.
“I’d love to have a Champion Hurdle on my CV but the most important thing is winning whatever race it is. She's probably the best chance we’ve had of a Champion Hurdle so far, but I’d be hoping for a big run in whichever race she’s in."
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