Jack Kennedy ride on Abacadabras hinges on doctor's clearance after U-turn

Leading jockey Jack Kennedy will be reassessed on Tuesday to determine whether he can ride Matheson Hurdle contender Abacadabras following a dramatic U-turn that led to him being stood down on Monday.

Kennedy went for an x-ray on his left collarbone on Monday morning after being injured in a fall from Defi Bleu at the track on Sunday and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board confirmed he was fit to ride from race five onwards, including Delta Work in the Savills Chase.

That decision was reversed less than an hour later and 45 minutes before the Savills Chase after advice from IHRB orthopaedic consultant Dr Paddy Kenny.

'Fantastic' A Plus Tard flies home to land Savills Chase as main contenders crash out

Kennedy, who rode three times after the fall on Sunday, fractured his left collarbone for a third time at Limerick in October and returned 18 days later ahead of the Down Royal festival, and, while he rode three times after his fall on Defi Bleu in the beginners' chase, the IHRB's Dr Adrian McGoldrick was not satisfied when he examined him on Monday morning.

"I examined him pre-racing and wasn't happy, so we arranged for him to go for emergency x-rays at St Vincent's where he saw Professor John Ryan," said McGoldrick. "He didn't have previous x-rays to compare the image against.

"I then spoke with Dr Paddy Kenny, who is the IHRB's senior orthopaedic surgeon, and he initially felt it was much the same as before. However, he then spoke with Jack, and after that he felt it was advisable he shouldn't ride today. We had to take the whole picture into consideration.

"It's a healing fracture, the one he returned from for Down Royal, and it's very common to see a line around the fracture line, so it's very hard to make a judgement without the previous x-rays.

"It was only when Mr Kenny spoke with Jack and heard about his symptoms that he felt it was advisable for him not to ride today. We have to play it safe with something like this and he will be reassessed tomorrow."

Delta Work was partnered by Sean Flanagan in the Savills Chase, a race he won the previous year, but fell at the second fence on the final circuit.

Abacadabras is one of five rides for Kennedy on Tuesday, who is also booked for Conflated in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase.

Watch live races through the Racing Post website. Log in to your bookmaker account via the bookmaker button at the top of the page and look on the racecards for eligible races. Click the red 'Watch live now' icon and they're off! Find out how here