'He won't make it' - Jack Kennedy ruled out of Cheltenham Festival with broken leg

Jockey Jack Kennedy has lost his race against time in the battle to be fit for the Cheltenham Festival and faces another three or four weeks on the sidelines in his recovery from a fifth broken leg.

The 23-year-old saw his surgeon Paddy Kenny at Santry Sports Clinic on Friday morning but did not get the news he wanted.

Gordon Elliott told the Racing Post: "Unfortunately, after working incredibly hard over the last two months to try to get back for Cheltenham, Jack won't make it.

"He saw his surgeon Paddy Kenny this morning and it looks like he will be out for another three or four weeks. There are still plenty of big races after Cheltenham so we'll be looking forward to welcoming him back for Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown."

Elliott added: "We have a terrific team of jockeys here in Cullentra and I'm in the very lucky position of having Davy Russell, Jordan Gainford and Sam Ewing there. Davy's experience around Cheltenham is invaluable, while Jordan and Sam are a huge part of the team here. I couldn't speak highly enough of them. There will be plenty of rides for them all at Cheltenham."

The plum rides on Mighty Potter and Gerri Colombe, who are favourite for the Turners Novices' Chase and Brown Advisory respectively, are now up for grabs.

Davy Russell: made a dramatic retirement U-turn following Jack Kennedy's fallCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Russell made a dramatic retirement U-turn following Kennedy's fall at Naas in early January and steered Mighty Potter to victory in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

On the same weekend, Jordan Gainford won the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown on Gerri Colombe. He was also on board for his victory in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick over Christmas.

The news he didn't want on Friday morning means Kennedy will not be able to add to his ten festival winners this month.

The first of those was back in 2017 when he guided the quirky Labaik to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle when he was only 17.

He rode four winners at the 2018 festival, the same number as Russell, but missed out on the top jockey accolade due to fewer placed efforts.

Kennedy is expected to be back to ride in the Grand National as well as the spring festivals at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.

The good news for Elliott is that Russell returns to action at Leopardstown on Sunday. The 43-year-old will ride for the first time since partnering Deeply Superficial at Sandown in the middle of February and has been booked for two mounts - Fils D'oudairies in the opening Anton O'Toole Hurdle and Present Soldier in the Michael Rafferty Memorial Maiden Hurdle.

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