CONDITIONAL jockey Jim Culloty, sidelined for the past three months with a broken ankle, still hopes to return to action by the end of the month.

Last season's champion amateur was injured at Huntingdon in October and had originally hoped to be back in action by mid December but the ankle had to be pinned.

Agent Chris Broad said yesterday: "Jim is at Lilleshall at present. He had a fair bit of muscle wastage because of the injury and that needs building before he can consider coming back to race riding.

"As far as I know he's progressing well and on his return will ride out for a while before he can make a racecourse come back."