Comeback hopes pinned on Gold Medallist

As soon as I knew the extent of my foot injury, knew that three metatarsal bones were broken, I targeted this Cheltenham meeting for my comeback. Among those who considered me optimistic at best, completely mad at worst, was a bone specialist, who told me it could take eight weeks to heal, rather than my projected two.

He, though, was looking for a complete mend, of the type a footballer with a similar injury might need. As a jockey, I had to weigh up when I could do my job properly without putting anyone else at risk. By the middle of this week, I could walk, ride out and even school horses without pain and I met my target yesterday, albeit without the winner I longed for.

This is a bad time of year for a jockey to be absent - just ask Ruby Walsh, who has seen his deputy, Sam Thomas, win big races on three successive weekends. At least I haven't had to suffer quite his level of mixed emotions. Indeed, Dream Alliance - the horse I would have partnered in the Hennessy Gold Cup - ran so well in second that I was excited to anticipate the Welsh National after Christmas.

Denman was a hugely impressive Hennessy winner and he has been dominating racing debate ever since - almost to the point where his brilliant stablemate, Kauto Star, is being overshadowed. This, to me, is a dangerous over-reaction.

If the Gold Cup was run next week, and I could ride either of the two, I would definitely still choose Kauto Star. Denman may turn out just as good, especially now that the quirks of his hurdling days seem in the past, but he still has to prove it.

Kauto has been amazing for more than a year and he remains the horse everyone has to beat.

By contrast with all the hype over the Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle has provoked little excitement so far. The death of Detroit City at Ascot last month was a big blow to me and his connections and it is hard to see the Irish stranglehold on the race being broken from what we have seen so far this season.

That could change today, in the race we used to know as the Bula. Cheltenham may bring Katchit back to his best, after his defeat at Newcastle, but Straw Bear remains a horse I like, for all his inconsistencies, and he could yet shake up the market.

I'll be a spectator for that race but I'm keen on my chances in the other feature, the Boylesports.com Gold Cup. Palarshan has fragile legs and he's a hard horse to keep sound but he has a lot of ability, as he showed last month in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

He would have been at least second that day if he hadn't been badly hampered at the penultimate fence. Henry Daly is happy he's come out of it well and that running advertises his chances in what does not look quite such a hot contest.

The most exciting ride I have today, though, should be Gold Medallist in the novice chase. He's been given two years to get over a leg problem and there are things you have to take on trust after such an absence. But he was so good beforehand, and he has schooled so well, that I'm hopeful he could go right to the top over fences.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/racing/article3053386.ece