O'Keeffe and O'Sullivan overcome injury scares in time for Christmas return

Grade 1-winning jockeys Darragh O'Keeffe and Michael O'Sullivan will be fit to return in time for the major Christmas festivals after missing rides this week due to injury scares.

O'Keeffe, who delivered an exquisite ride to land the Savills Chase on A Plus Tard in 2020, could feature in the Leopardstown highlight again next Wednesday when regular ride French Dynamite may step up to top-level company.

The former champion conditional missed out on his book of rides at Fairyhouse on Wednesday after a fall from the Tom Gibney-trained Shes Some Doll at Naas the previous afternoon.

O'Keeffe said: "I came away sore after the fall and I just wanted to make sure I was right leading up to next week. I'll be fine and I'm looking forward to riding again on Monday.

"I'll know more about what might be there for me come declaration time on Friday morning, but hopefully I'll have some nice rides over Christmas.

"French Dynamite ran a great race at Cheltenham when just touched off [in the Paddy Power Gold Cup] and we could know more about where we stand if he does line up in the Savills. He'd be stepping back up to three miles and has got a good, high rating so it would be interesting to see how he gets on."

Michael O'Sullivan (left): recently scooped a first Grade 1 win on Marine Nationale at FairyhouseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Conditional jockeys' championship contender O'Sullivan, who took a fall from the Liz Doyle-trained Yabo at Thurles on Sunday, has arguably been the weighing room find of the Irish season so far.

He has progressed from amateur to conditional status and become stable jockey to Barry Connell, and this month partnered Marine Nationale to success in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.

"Thankfully I'll be back and ready to go again for Christmas," he said on Wednesday. "I was worried I might have done harm to my collarbone but it turned out to be some ligament damage around the joint. I was riding out a few lots this morning so we should be good to go."

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