Fehily retains Kauto hope
The jump jockey is to see a specialist today and is optimistic the wrist he injured in a fall at Newbury on Friday is not as bad as first feared.
It was thought he might have suffered a break when taking a tumble from Rivaliste in a two-mile-one-furlong handicap chase.
He was taken to Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon but because the wrist was badly swollen, X-rays proved inconclusive.
Fehily had only been given the call-up from trainer Paul Nicholls earlier in the week to replace the sidelined Ruby Walsh on Clive Smith’s top-class chaser, who is seeking a record fifth successive win in the Christmas feature.
“It’s not quite as bad as first thought, hopefully,” said Fehily.
“When I was taken to hospital it wasn’t very good, but I went back on Sunday morning and the doctor was a lot happier with it.
“Because it was so swollen at the time, they couldn’t get a clear picture of it.
“I have to go back tomorrow and hopefully I’ll get a better prognosis then.
“I’m not really in pain. Since they strapped it up it’s been a lot better, so I’m very hopeful it’s not quite as bad as first thought.
“Straight away you are thinking how you can speed your recovery up.
“I’m very hopeful I’ll be back to ride Kauto Star on Boxing Day. From what the specialist said on Sunday if we can keep it strapped up, keep the improvement and the swelling coming down, he’s very hopeful he can have me back riding in two to three weeks which would be well before Christmas.
“At this time of year you don’t want to be missing too much, but thankfully the weather is going to help me out a little bit!”
Meanwhile, Imperial Commander is well on the road to recovery and the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero could still run in the King George.
Nigel Twiston-Davies reports that the horse has begun exercising again and the leg the nine-year-old cut when winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock earlier this month is healing up nicely.
“He’s good. The vet has looked at him and he’s out exercising,” said the handler.
“We still don’t know if he’ll definitely get there, but things are all good at the moment.
“It’s healing up really, really well. We are not going to start cantering him yet, maybe on Thursday or Friday, but he’s out exercising on the roads.”
