THE participation of Mark Walsh at the Cheltenham Festival is far from certain as the leading jump jockey recovers from a heavy fall at Leopardstown last weekend.

Walsh, J.P. McManus’ retained rider in Ireland, only returned to the saddle on Saturday after a bruising Christmas period which saw him suffer several heavy falls, although he did ride a Grade 1 winner on Saint Roi.

His rides at Leopardstown at the weekend were his first of 2023 and he was successful on the Gavin Cromwell-trained Perceval Legallois in a big handicap hurdle.

However, his first ride on Sunday, Willie Mullins’ Risk Belle, fell at the fifth in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle and Walsh was taken immediately to hospital.

“He’s going to be off for at least another three or four weeks,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“He’s seeing his surgeon in a fortnight and then he’ll know more. He’s out of hospital now, at least.

“He’s done some damage to vertebrae, but he’s home and he’s in good form. He’ll know more after he’s seen his surgeon.”

Also on the sidelines is Cathal Landers. The Limerick man suffered a heavy fall in a schooling race at Thurles recently and was hospitalised for a week. “I had a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a lot of muscle damage,” he said. “My whole body was crushed. I’m due for reassessment in six weeks.”