Footpad primed for chasing debut

I’m sitting out the weekend as I bruised by my hand at Down Royal last Friday and, by continuing to ride, I never gave the swelling a chance to go down, and kept aggravating it.

It was quite sore after riding on Wednesday, so I just had to give it a week to settle down. The aim is to be back for next weekend’s meetings at Punchestown, and if I could make Clonmel on Thursday, for the Clonmel Oil Chase meeting, all the better.

Willie runs four this afternoon at Naas, starting with American Tom returns in the Poplar Square Chase. He started well last year, winning a beginners’ chase in Punchestown, but was well beaten when he fell at Naas, on his second start.