Walsh back at Listowel

Ruby Walsh makes his eagerly-anticipated return to action at Listowel on Sunday where his sole ride is Tony Martin’s Salute Him in the Kerrymaid Hurdle.

The eight-time Irish champion jockey has been on the sidelines since suffering a crushed vertebra in a fall at Killarney in July.

Salute Him was last seen finishing down the field in the Ebor at York, but Martin is hoping for a better result as his eight-year-old reverts to hurdling.

“It’s great to have Ruby back and I’m sure he’s glad to be back in action himself,” said Martin.

“We were a bit disappointed with Salute Him in York. Things didn’t go right for him on the day as he got caught a bit far back, but it wasn’t the difference between winning and losing.

“He seems to have come out of it in good form and I just hope they don’t get any more rain, as soft ground wouldn’t help him.”

Salute Him faces four rivals including the smart Plan A from the Gordon Elliott yard and Jessica Harrington’s Takeyourcapoff.