Jack Kennedy suffers fifth leg break - but could be back in time for Cheltenham

X-rays have confirmed that Jack Kennedy has broken his leg for a fifth time following a fall from Top Bandit at Naas on Sunday, but Gordon Elliott is hopeful his number one jockey will be back in time to ride at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 23-year-old leads the Irish jump jockeys' championship by 18 (77-59) from five-time champion Paul Townend, and has already claimed three Grade 1 victories this season, bringing his total of top-level wins to 36.

Elliott suggested he may have suffered a nasty injury when Top Bandit crashed out at the fourth fence of the novice chase won by Arkle hope Appreciate It, but Kennedy's agent Kevin O'Ryan confirmed the leg break on Monday morning.

O'Ryan told the Racing Post: "Jack has a lower-leg fracture, his tibia and fibula. He has an appointment to see his surgeon Paddy Kenny on Friday and we will know more after that. At this stage I have no idea how long he will be out for."

Kennedy is not one for wallowing in self-pity and he was back at Naas at 7.30 on Monday morning alongside Elliott to watch some of the youngsters from Cullentra House being put through their paces.

Elliott said: "It's unfortunate for Jack, but hopefully it's not as bad as we first feared. He was in good form on Monday and we will know a lot more when he visits his surgeon on Friday. I'd be hopeful he will be back for Cheltenham, but let's see what the surgeon says.

"Jack is a big part of the team here at Cullentra and we have some great young riders like Jordan Gainford and Sam Ewing, who have big futures ahead of them. Jack has been setting a great example for them to follow."

Kennedy's injury comes just three weeks after Davy Russell announced his retirement at the age of 43, and it was Gainford who came in for the ride on runner-up Irish Point in the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday, when he finished second to Champ Kiely.

Jack Kennedy: scored his latest Grade 1 success on Conflated at LeopardstownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Elliott will certainly be hoping Kennedy is back in time to ride at Cheltenham as he already has ten festival winners on his CV.

The first of those was back in 2017 when he guided the quirky Labaik to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle when he was only 17.

He rode four winners at the 2018 festival, the same number as Russell, but missed out on the top jockey accolade due to fewer placed efforts.

Elliott is responsible for the favourite in the Turners Novices' Chase market at Cheltenham in the shape of Drinmore winner Mighty Potter, who is a best-priced 4-1 for the opening race on day three of the festival.

Conflated put his name into the hat for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup following an emphatic victory in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, while other Cheltenham contenders from Cullentra House include Delta Work (Cross Country), Gerri Colombe (Brown Advisory), Fil Dor (Arkle), Queens Brook (Mares' Hurdle), Liberty Dance (Mares' Novices' Hurdle) and American Mike (Ballymore).

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