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Gordon Elliott fears stable jockey Jack Kennedy will be out of action for the “foreseeable future” after suffering a leg injury in a fall at Naas on Sunday.
While firmly established as one of Ireland's leading jockeys, the 23-year-old has suffered more than his fair share of injury setbacks, including previous breaks to both legs.
Kennedy is now Elliott 's number one rider following the recent retirement of Davy Russell and was in action for his boss aboard Top Bandit in the Rathmore Stud Irish EBF Novice Chase.
The pair came to grief at the fourth fence with Top Bandit fatally injured in the incident, while Kennedy was transferred to Tallaght Hospital for further assessment.
The severity of Kennedy's injury is yet to be confirmed, but Elliott told Racing TV: "It didn't look good. I went down to the fence when he got the fall and he looked pretty sore.
"He has a bit of a bump on his lower left leg. He's gone for X-rays and we'll hear later on, but I didn't like what I saw.
"We're not going to have (him) for the foreseeable future from what I've seen, not unless there's a miracle."
The injury looks set to be a major blow to Kennedy's hopes of being crowned champion jockey for the first time. He currently holds an 18-winner lead over reigning champion Paul Townend.
It also threatens his participation at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
"We'll see how he is and see what the doctors say. Obviously we've eight weeks to Cheltenham and it's not ideal," said Elliott.
"He got a terrible fall there – he just hasn't been getting the rub of the green.
"It looked like he was in pole position to be champion jockey. If it's not going to happen this year, hopefully it will happen sometime for him."
Asked whether Kennedy's expected absence gives some of his other riders an opportunity, Elliott added: "It looks like it, they are going to have to take it with both hands. It's their chance now to step up.
"I've got Jordan (Gainford), I've got Sam (Ewing), Denis O'Regan is in a few days a week and a couple of other jockeys as well, so they're all going to get their chances."
