Danny McMenamin confident of being cleared to ride Tommy's Oscar at Cheltenham

Danny McMenamin is expecting to be cleared to ride Tommy's Oscar in Tuesday's Unibet Champion Hurdle, with a concussion test on Friday set to determine whether he can return to action this weekend.

Last season's champion conditional was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious in a heavy fall on the ill-fated Home Run at Musselburgh on March 2, but he escaped serious injury.

McMenamin is aiming to get the all-clear to return at Ayr on Saturday in preparation for his first ride in a Cheltenham Festival championship race on the highly progressive Tommy's Oscar.

Champion Hurdle confirmations

"I feel 100 per cent, so I should pass the test no bother," he said on Thursday. "Hopefully, I'll be back for a few rides on Saturday and then get ready for Cheltenham."

McMenamin has been booked to ride Sword Of Fate (1.35) and Gaillimh A Stor (2.45) at Ayr on Saturday.

Tommy's Oscar, who has been a revelation for Northumberland permit-holders Ann and Ian Hamilton with four wins in his last four starts, was put through his paces in a post-racing workout at Newcastle this week, which has fuelled confidence of a big performance in the Champion Hurdle.

Danny McMenamin: booked for two rides at Ayr on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Brian Hughes gave him a spin round Newcastle on Tuesday over two miles and he was very impressed," said Ian Hamilton.

"It's not like Brian to be like that and he thinks he's better now than when he won on him [at Doncaster in December]. Brian was going to be the deputy but Danny is confident he'll be all right and he rode out at Nicky Richards' on Wednesday morning."

Tommy's Oscar, a general 25-1 shot who featured among the ten Champion Hurdle confirmations on Wednesday, was last seen in action winning the Grade 2 trial at Haydock in January and connections are mindful of keeping a lid on any freshness at Cheltenham.

'He's not beaten a Champion Hurdle horse yet'

"It feels like such a long time since he ran and most of them had a run a fortnight ago," said Hamilton. "He's been fresh at home and we're going to put a hood on him in the preliminaries and probably saddle him in the stables because there's going to be such a crowd. There were quite a few people at Haydock and I think he'll be all right."

After Nuts Well won the Listed Premier Chase at Kelso last weekend, the Hamiltons have managed to maintain their excellent form throughout the season as Tommy's Oscar's big date approaches.

"He's not beaten a Champion Hurdle horse yet and Honeysuckle has the seven pounds – if it was a handicap she would be giving us nearly a stone – but he's going down there with a big following from the north and we're honoured to have a horse good enough to have a go," Hamilton added.

Read more Cheltenham Festival news:

Star mare Honeysuckle to face maximum of nine rivals in Champion Hurdle

The seven horses for whom Cheltenham Festival targets remain unclear

Five Racing Post tipsters including Tom Segal share their Cheltenham Lucky 15s

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