McGrath ready to return to action

Richard McGrath, who was stood down for three weeks after taking a crashing fall at Wetherby last month, is set return to the saddle at Catterick on Thursday.

McGrath was concussed when Archie Babe came down when challenging at the final flight in the 'Please Help Us Walk Again With Spinal Research' Novices' Hurdle won by Always Rainbow.

He said: “I have been bored out of my mind and I can’t wait to get back race-riding again, I have a few booked rides for Chris Grant at Catterick and his horses are running well so there might be the chance of a winner.”

McGrath was based with Jonjo O’Neill but elected to stay in the north when the latter moved to Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire.

He went on: “I waited a week and a half after the fall before I started riding out again, but I have been very busy since and went and rode out at Jonjo’s a couple of mornings, his head lad Alan Roche is a good pal of mine.

“I have been riding out Chris’s (Grant), Mick Easterby’s and Kate Walton’s and doing a lot of swimming so I feel fighting fit and raring to go again – and my weight is pretty good.”