ADRIAN MAGUIRE hopes to ride out tomorrow as the prelude to a quicker than expected return to the saddle this weekend. The jockey's damaged left knee, injured in a pile-up at Leicester last week, has recovered so quickly that he is considering riding at Sandown on Saturday.

It was initially feared he faced six weeks off, taking him dangerously close to missing another Cheltenham Festival, but even a revised prediction of three weeks' absence could prove too pessimistic.

"I think it was made out to be more than it was," said Maguire yesterday. "But the leg is improving very quickly and I feel very good.

"I can't say now that I will be riding on Saturday but we will see how things come along. I will speak to Dr Michael Turner and ride if he approves and I feel up to it.

"I've not sat on a horse since the fall but I have been doing plenty of exercise and I will probably ride out on Thursday.