Disappointed Barry Geraghty set to miss Galway as recovery from injury continues

Barry Geraghty will miss the Galway festival as his recovery from breaking his tibia and fibula just above his right ankle at Aintree in April takes longer than he had hoped.

The 39-year-old came to grief aboard Peregrine Run in the Topham Chase on April 5, forcing him to miss the winning ride on Champ in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle later that afternoon.

Geraghty had initially hoped to return at the end of this month for Ballybrit, but is now eyeing a comeback for the Listowel festival, which begins on September 8

The two-time Irish champion jockey, who also missed Galway in 2016 through a broken arm, explained: "The injury is coming along grand and I'm due to go in on Monday to get the frame off.

"In terms of time I'll be in a boot for a month so I won't be riding at Galway. It's looking more like Listowel time that I'll be coming back."

Tigris River and Barry Geraghty take the 2017 Galway HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

Listowel has been a happy hunting ground for Geraghty who has won the feature Kerry National on three occasions, including in 2002 aboard Monty's Pass, who went on to land the Aintree equivalent the following spring.

He added: "Initially I was told that it would be at least 12 weeks in the frame and it's 13 weeks since the fall now. I hoped at Aintree that I'd make Galway, but unfortunately that hasn't been the case."

Geraghty was the toast of Galway in 2017 when steering the Joseph O'Brien-trained Tigris River to success in the Galway Hurdle for owner JP McManus.

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