'You build your year around Cheltenham' - McLernon to miss festival with Woods a major doubt

Richie McLernon on Monday spoke of his disappointment at missing next month's Cheltenham Festival, and his weighing room colleague Kielan Woods fears he might have to sit out the meeting as well.

McLernon has three festival triumphs on his CV, but will not get the opportunity to add to that tally this term after he broke his leg and suffered a knee injury at Doncaster last month.

The 36-year-old, who was aboard the Neil Mulholland-trained Crossing The Bar when the pair were brought down in a handicap hurdle, said: "There are multiple fractures in my leg and I've had an operation on it. It's been pinned and plated and filled with surgical cement.

"Touch wood, the recovery is going well. I've been back to see the surgeon and he was pretty happy with it. I have another few weeks of non-weight bearing and then I hope I can crack on with rehab.

"No-one has said of a possible return date yet, but everyone is happy with how it's going and I think I'll start my weight-bearing during Cheltenham week, but that will just be easy walking."

McLernon won the Pertemps Final at the 2013 festival on Holywell, whom he also steered to victory in the handicap chase now known as the Ultima a year later.

He also won that race in 2012 on Alfie Sherrin and might have had a contender this year in the useful Lord Accord.

"I would have been looking forward to riding him," added McLernon. "There were another couple of possibilities, and Cheltenham is what you build your year around. To miss it is annoying, but there are a lot worse things. The bones in your leg heal, so I count myself lucky.

"I'm very comfortable and not in any pain; it's just time I need now. It's not ideal, but it could be a lot worse."

Richie McLernon celebrates winning the Pertemps Final on Holywell at the 2013 Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

McLernon thanked the BHA's medical adviser Jerry Hill for his recent help, as did Woods despite the fact he might not be able to return in time for Cheltenham, which begins on March 14.

Woods has not ridden since being unseated from Robeam in a handicap hurdle at Huntingdon two weeks ago.

"I broke four vertebrae in my back, which sounds worse than it is, but it's not ideal because it's the wrong time of year," he said. "It doesn't look great for Cheltenham. It's unlikely.

"They are all stable fractures, so no operation was needed and I've seen a specialist and also been in touch with Jerry Hill, and I have to say we're extremely lucky to have him looking after us. He's brilliant. I was in Hinchingbrooke Hospital and found out more in ten minutes from him than I did all night with the other doctors.

"It's bad timing and I'm not that sore. I'm uncomfortable and a bit stiff, but I don't feel broken. I feel no different than I would do after a bad fall, so it's just annoying."

Woods won the Grand Annual on Croco Bay in 2019 and claimed the prize again on the Ben Pauling-trained Global Citizen last year.

The rider has a fruitful relationship with Pauling, and said: "Ben has a couple of nice ones and Global Citizen, who didn't run badly in his prep at the weekend, will go back for the Grand Annual, while Samuel Spade will go for the Fred Winter.

"I had a good few rides lined up, and Global Citizen is the one I would be really missing, but it's touch and go. Coming back for Aintree's Grand National meeting in April is very realistic."

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