Jack Kennedy's Cheltenham Festival hangs in the balance after he stands himself down after aggravating recent leg injury

Jack Kennedy's Cheltenham Festival will hang on a reassessment of his recently repaired broken leg after he stood himself down midway through proceedings on Wednesday, with the choice mount on Thursday's Stayers' Hurdle favourite Teahupoo among his current bookings.

Kennedy returned to action last Monday week having been off since the end of November following a fall at Fairyhouse that left him with a fractured right tibia. He took six rides on Tuesday, including the disappointing Brighterdaysahead in the Champion Hurdle, and a further three on Wednesday but he had been limping despite not suffering a fall and stood himself down after finishing well beaten on Sa Fureur in the Coral Cup.

Sam Ewing also opted out after the same race so Gordon Elliott's stable of jockeys has been reduced, with Danny Gilligan and Jordan Gainford among those promoted in their absence on Wednesday.

Dr Jennifer Pugh, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's chief medical officer, said: “Both Sam Ewing and Jack Kennedy are sore having slightly aggravated previous injuries and have stood themselves down for the remainder of the day. They will be reassessed prior to racing tomorrow.”

Elliott has not enjoyed the rub of the green at the festival yet this week, with Stellar Story, Romeo Coolio and The Yellow Clay among his placed horses, but he wuill be hoping for better luck with the likes of Teahupoo, Firefox, Wingmen and Willitgoahead still to come. 

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