Carberry delays return

Paul Carberry will miss out on riding his Aintree Grand National winner, Bobbyjo, at Leopardstown on Sunday. Bobbyjo was yesterday confirmed an intended runner in the £20,000 Mick Holly Handicap Chase at the weekend, but his big-race rider will sit out the weekend racing as he rests his injured back in readiness for Cheltenham.

"I'll be grand for Cheltenham but I'm just badly bruised and a bit sore at the moment, so I'm not going to ride at the weekend," Carberry said yesterday.

Carberry's hunting accident last Friday, which aggravated the effects of a bad fall the previous weekend at Navan, caused him to miss Bobbyjo's run over hurdles at Fairyhouse. His brother Philip, who deputised then, will again have the mount. Sunday's will be the National winner's first appearance over fences since the Whitbread last May.

Pamela Carberry, wife of trainer Tommy Carberry, said yesterday: "We're keen for him to race on Sunday and unless there's a lot of rain in the meantime he is likely to run."

The meeting at the Foxrock track is the last chance for Cheltenham hopefuls to get a prep and one horse that will do just that is Ned Kelly, one of the leading contenders for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

The Edward O'Grady-trained four-year-old, winner of his only previous race in early January over the same course and distance of Sunday's Firmount Flat Race, will again be ridden by Tom Magnier, son of the owners, Sue and John Magnier. Magnier will also ride Ned Kelly at Cheltenham.

"He's in good form after having had a rest after his first race. Sunday looks a pretty hot race but I wouldn't expect anything else," said O'Grady yesterday. Other possible runners in the race are the Thurles winner, Kolleya, and Noel Meade's Sigma Dotcomm.

O'Grady confirmed Sheltering on course for the Foxhunters at Cheltenham and reported Nicholls Cross a possible for the Mildmay Of Flete Chase at the festival.

The Arkle Trophy hope, Slaney Native, will also run on Sunday, in the Stepaside Novice Chase. Jessica Harrington's horse hasn't run since second to Native Upmanship over Christmas but is quoted as low as 12 to 1 for the Arkle.

Timmy Murphy, who was kicked in the stomach after a fall at Leicester on Tuesday, was released from hospital yesterday. The jockey was detained in Leicester Royal Infirmary overnight for observation as concern emerged over his spleen, which initially was thought to have been ruptured in the incident.

Murphy has ridden 46 winners so far this season.