Walsh looking forward to Newbury comeback

RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:RUBY WALSH is "counting down the hours" to Newbury's meeting this weekend as he prepares to return from a four-month injury lay-off.

The rider has been sidelined since breaking his leg in a fall at Down Royal in early November, missing plenty of big-race winners for retained trainers Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins in that period.

Walsh returned to the public arena on Sunday when riding in the traditional Cheltenham schooling session after racing at Leopardstown, but he will be back under Rules at Newbury on Friday.

He will not pitch back in with a full book of rides, but after once again riding some of Nicholls’ Festival hopes at home on Tuesday, Walsh is itching to get back on the track.

“This morning, I sat on Kauto Star, Aiteen Thirtythree, Al Ferof, Niche Market and Definity and it’s all systems go,” he said. “I’m not feeling any pain and it’s business as usual.

“I’m flying back home to Ireland and (I’m) due see the doctor tomorrow, but it’s just a formality and routine appointment.

“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.”

Emma Lavelle was back in the winner’s enclosure for the first time since losing her stable star Crack Away Jack when Tim The Chair struck at Leicester yesterday. Tim The Chair (4 to 1) got up in the final 50 yards to make a winning debut over fences in the Squire Osbaldeston Chase.

The six-year-old was never far off the pace set by Duke Of Ormond but made a bad mistake at the second-last but Jack Doyle got another run out of Tim The Chair to collar the leader for a length and a half verdict.

Tony McCoy will be hoping for a successful Cheltenham and he enjoyed one of his easiest wins of the season when bringing home his only mount of the day, Galaxy Rock, in the Rutland Chase. The 3 to 10 shot won unchallenged by 42 lengths from Hommage A Bach, who was the only other finisher after the Rester Vrai and Not So Prudent unseated their riders.