Walsh says injury is causing him no pain as he prepares to return

With the Cheltenham Festival on the horizon, Walsh is keen to return to race fitness before the four-day jumping spectacle begins on March 15.

After schooling some of Ireland’s top prospects on Sunday for Willie Mullins, Walsh had an instructive session earlier this week at the Somerset yard of champion trainer Paul Nicholls. He partnered some of the biggest names in racing, including Kauto Star, Big Buck’s and Master Minded.

Like their jockey, they came through the pre-Festival gallops test with flying colours.

Last night Walsh returned to Ireland where he is expected to receive the final medical clearance today.

“I’m not feeling any pain and it’s business as usual,” he told www.racinguk.com.

“I’m flying back home to see the doctor, but it’s just a formality and routine appointment. I must say I’ve become quite good mates with the doctor, as we’ve been spending a lot of time in each other’s company. We’re on first name terms all right.

“I’ll be back in England on Friday, when I will probably have one or two mounts.

“I might have a ride in the two-mile-five-furlong novice hurdle – I see Paul has four entered – and possibly Don’t Turn Bach in the novice handicap hurdle.

“Hopefully Paul can get me back on a winner. It’ll be a case of easing myself back into the saddle and I’ll probably only have a couple of rides again on the Saturday, too, at Newbury.

“It’s exciting times and I’m just counting down the hours now until I’m back on the racecourse.”

Walsh is expected to ride Niche Market, a possible Grand National mount, in Newbury’s Greatwood Gold Cup on Saturday – a race where Ferdy Murphy’s Big Fella Thanks could be a leading opponent.

“I can’t wait to get back. I feel grand, 100 per cent,” added the mercurial jockey who was injured in a fall less than an hour after partnering twice Gold Cup winner Kauto Star to victory at Down Royal.

“I feel no effects from the injury since I have come back to work. Willie Mullins and Paul have many serious chances for Cheltenham and, to be frank, I can’t wait,” said Walsh.

They are words that will be welcomed by every Walsh supporter – particularly those who feared that his delayed comeback was jeopardising his Cheltenham chances.

The jockey with most Cheltenham Festival victories, Walsh is also expected to ride the Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle, the one major race still to elude him.

Nick Gifford is favouring a crack at the Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Festival with Tullamore Dew.

The nine-year-old is also entered in both the Arkle and the Byrne Group Plate, but the two-and-a-half-mile Listed heat is the preferred option at the moment.

Tullamore Dew was last seen finishing behind David Pipe’s well-regarded Mamlook at Fakenham, but counts a close second to Alan King’s Arkle favourite Medermit among his four chase starts to date.

“He’s in the three races, but he is more likely to go for the Centenary at the moment,” said Gifford whose father Josh trained the 1981 Grand National hero Aldaniti.

“He’s still in the Arkle and will be left in as long as we can in case it came up really soft.”