03 March 2023 , 12:13
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Jack Kennedy has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival in a major blow to the leading jockey and the Gordon Elliott stable.
It will be the second time the 23-year-old has been robbed of involvement at the meeting by injury, having missed the fixture in 2020.
Kennedy broke a leg in a fall at Naas in January and was facing a race against time to be fit for the four day meeting after a below knee fracture was confirmed.
Despite making progress he learned on Friday following a visit to see surgeon Paddy Kenny that he must spend longer on the sidelines before he can return to the saddle.
The jockey's agent, Kevin O'Ryan, said: "It (Cheltenham) is just coming too soon. He tried his best, but it's just coming too soon.
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"He is keen to get back as soon as possible, but he is going to give it all the time it needs. Hopefully it will be a couple of weeks after Cheltenham."
It means veteran Davy Russell, who came out of retirement four weeks after quitting the saddle to help Elliott while Kennedy was out of action, will continue to ride through the Cheltenham Festival.
The jockey's agent, Kevin O'Ryan, said: "It (Cheltenham) is just coming too soon. He tried his best, but it's just coming too soon.
"He is keen to get back as soon as possible, but he is going to give it all the time it needs.
"Hopefully it will be a couple of weeks after Cheltenham."
Kennedy was leading the Irish Jump Jockeys Championship by 18 winners until he was injured but he has been overtaken by five-time champion Paul Townend while he has been absent.
He rode the first of his ten Cheltenham Festival winners aged 17 on Labaik in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and in 2021, aged 21, became the youngest jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Minella Indo.