No joy for Jack Kennedy on riding return at Tipperary

There was no joy for Jack Kennedy, as he made his return to the saddle with three rides at Tipperary on Tuesday.

The Irish champion jockey broke his leg for a sixth time in November and despite making it back for the Cheltenham Festival in March he has been back on the sidelines since, missing showpiece meetings at Aintree and Punchestown as well as the conclusion of the 2024-25 Irish season.

He linked up with long-time ally Gordon Elliott for all three mounts, with his first ride back aboard Royal Eagle who was sent off 5-2 for the Walter Hennessy Auctioneers Mares Beginners Chase and was prominent for a long way before weakening late in the day.

It was a similar story aboard Lakota Blue (12-1) who was well held in the Baileys Hotel Cashel Beginners Chase, while Kennedy was also out of luck as the 8-11 favourite St Cuthbert’s Cave could only finish third in the concluding Packie Downey Memorial Rated Novice Chase.