Jack Kennedy targeting summer return after confirming he will miss rest of the season

Jack Kennedy has spoken of his deeply frustrating season, one which will end with the Irish champion jockey sitting out the final month of the campaign through injury and missing the three big spring festivals at Aintree, Fairyhouse and Punchestown. 

The 25-year-old suffered a sixth broken leg in a fall at Fairyhouse on the final day of November, but he returned to the saddle in time for the Cheltenham Festival where he had 17 rides. 

The final one of those was Corbetts Cross in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which Kennedy suffered a nasty spill at the second-last, and he has not ridden since. 

It was expected that Kennedy would be back for the Grand National meeting at Aintree and he was due to take the ride on Three Card Brag in the big one, but he has decided to give his body time to heal and will instead wait until the middle of the summer to return. He fully expects to be back in the saddle for the Galway festival. 

Kennedy said: "I got a couple of knocks at Cheltenham. State Man's head hit me in the Champion Hurdle and then I got a fall in the Gold Cup, so it wasn't a straightforward week and we all agreed that the best thing to do was have a bit of time away and give everything a chance to heal. 

Brighterdaysahead and Jack Kennedy after winning the Morgiana Hurdle in NovemberCredit: Patrick McCann

"I was just up on a horse at Gordon's [Elliott] the other day and I didn't feel right. There is nothing broken or anything like that, but I just knew I wasn't completely right. I will take a bit of time to get things right now and I have plates in my collarbone that I need to get taken out, too, so this will give me a chance to do that, as well. 

"When I come back, I want to be completely 100 per cent so I'm going to get everything tidied up that needs to be done. I'd imagine I will be back well before Galway."

Reflecting on an injury-plagued season, which saw him miss the Christmas and Dublin Racing Festivals at Leopardstown, Kennedy said: "I wouldn't go quite as far as saying it was a write-off, as I did win a Grade 1 on Brighterdaysahead at Punchestown and those are always nice to get, but it's been extremely frustrating. 

"It's been one thing after another, unfortunately, and nothing has gone smoothly. But, as I said, I did get a Grade 1 in the Morgiana and I can't complain at all. There are a lot of people worse off than I am."

He added: "I just need to get everything right and I'm already looking forward to getting back in a while. I'll give it the time it needs."

Despite not turning 26 until the next of next month, Kennedy is just two shy of riding 50 Grade 1 winners and Elliott has once again publicly backed the jockey by saying he is his undisputed number one at his stable and all the horses will be there for him when he returns.

Read these next:

'He's been a very lucky rider for them' - Gordon Elliott snaps up Sean Bowen to ride his biggest Grand National hope 

Jack Kennedy: 'I knew it was broken straight away - it's really tough, but people have been unbelievably nice to me'  

'My heart goes out to him' - Irish champion jockey Jack Kennedy breaks leg for sixth time 

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