Ruby Walsh believes Jack Kennedy can still challenge for the jockeys' championship after the young rider suffered the fifth leg break of his career on Sunday.
The Kerry jockey is currently 18 winners ahead of Paul Townend in the battle to be crowned champion rider, but faces a spell on the sidelines after breaking his leg at Naas.
Walsh, who also suffered five broken legs during his career, told RTE 2fm's Game On: "He’s 18 winners in front of Paul Townend in the jockey’s championship, he was probably going to be champion jockey for the first time in his career.
READ MORE: Jack Kennedy set for prolonged spell on sidelines after suffering leg fracture
"Cheltenham was on the horizon, he had a lot of big rides there. Gordon Elliott has a huge team of horses and he’s the No 1 jockey to him. And he will be when he comes back.
"I’m sure by today he’s already thinking ‘Is there any chance I can make that miracle recovery and be back in nine weeks’ time for the Cheltenham festival?'. Knowing Jack Kennedy and his desire he will be trying his best to do that.
"More realistically can he get back early in April? At that stage Paul most likely will have got level, maybe one or two by him. Can he chase him and still be champion jockey?
"He’s probably looking for some sort of hope because at the end of the day, all sports people are dreamers."
Walsh believes Kennedy can bounce back from the injury after already recovering from a number of others so far in his career.
The 12-time champion jockey added: "He is 23 so he's lucky in that he has youth on his side. But he’s unlucky that he has had so many injuries so young.
"He’s riding competitively since he was 15 so he has eight years as a jockey and he has spent over two years on the sidelines.
"That’s a huge test of your mentality, how much you love your job, how much you want to do it.
"Coming back is probably the biggest test of all. Are they as confident, are they as plucky? Jack has already proven that he can come back from injury and that’s a huge thing for jockeys."
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