Fitzgerald misses weekend rides

Mick Fitzgerald will not be ready for a return to action this weekend he confirmed today.

The jockey has been sidelined for almost three weeks with an ankle injury sustained in a fall on Hoteliers’ Dream at Taunton.

Fitzgerald was keen to come back in time for Saturday’s prestigious meeting at Newbury where trainer Nicky Henderson is set to saddle a strong team including Marlborough in the AON Chase and three in the £120,000 (€180,000) Tote Gold Trophy Hurdle - Chauvinist, Non So and Regal Exit.

However, he rode out this morning for Henderson and Fitzgerald admitted he will not be fit in time for the weekend action.

“It didn’t go so good. I went in and rode out this morning and the ankle just wasn’t strong enough,” he said.

“We have a big day on Saturday and I needed to find out early enough in the week so as not to leave people hanging on.

“I’ll not be back for the weekend.”

Fitzgerald has already missed the winning ride on Non So in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and the big pre-Festival meeting at Cheltenham at the end of last month.

He is currently fourth in the jockeys’ table with 56 winners.