RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:DAVY RUSSELL will not find out the extent of his wrist injury until tomorrow, but the championship-leading jockey is optimistic he will be back in action in time for the Punchestown Festival in 12 days.
Russell is engaged in a titanic duel with Ruby Walsh for what could be his first jump jockeys' title, and is just five ahead of his rival on 121 winners for the season.
However, the Cork-born rider took a heavy fall from Francis Du Mesnil at the third-last of a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on Tuesday evening and was taken to hospital for X-rays on what was thought to be a broken right wrist.
Russell had a more positive outlook yesterday, though, and claimed to be "very optimistic" of being back in action even before the start of the Punchestown Festival. The 2007-08 jumps season will end on the fifth and final day of that festival.
"I won't know for certain until I see Paddy Kenny on Friday, but it feels like it is in good old shape," Russell said yesterday.
"I didn't ride out or anything this morning and, fair enough, I might have to miss out this weekend, but I'm very optimistic about being back by Punchestown. With a bit of luck I might even be back before it.
"It was a bit swollen, but there's very little pain and I'm not taking any painkillers. It feels like the ligaments might be sprained, but nothing else. I'll give it every chance to recover, and if it takes a week to 10 days that'll still see me back for Punchestown," he added.
Walsh closed the gap to just five with a double at Fairyhouse on Tuesday and Russell's return could set up a remarkable finale to the season with Walsh attempting to retain his crown in the last week.
The Breeders' Cup runner-up Achill Island could lead an Aidan O'Brien raiding party on Longchamp this Sunday where he has a number of Group Three options open to him.
Achill Island, runner-up to Nownownow in the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Monmouth Park last October, is entered in both the Prix de Fontainebleau over a mile and the Prix la Force over 10 furlongs at the Paris track.
O'Brien has used the Fontainebleau as a warm-up for a tilt at the French 2,000 Guineas in the past, and he has five of the 16 entries remaining in the race.
They also include the Curragh winners Poet and Georgebernardshaw, but the champion trainer said yesterday: "It is possible we could go over there with something but not definite.
"Achill Island could run in either race, and The Bogberry might travel too. But it's not definite yet. I want to keep an eye on the ground."
The Bogberry may have to be supplemented today if he is to travel to France, but O'Brien has another Prix la Force option in Sligo.
Georgebernardshaw is more likely to run closer to home at the Curragh on Sunday in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes, and the Ballydoyle trainer is set to give the ex-French US Ranger a first run of the season in the Castlemartin & La Louviere Gladness Stakes.
"At the moment US Ranger will be our representative on Sunday. He is ready for a run and is in very good form, said O'Brien.
"We could also possibly run one of our other three entries. We have five entered in the Loughbrown and we are likely to run a couple.
"But at the moment Georgebernardshaw is on course to take his chance. He has come out of his last race in good shape," O'Brien added.
Mr Medici beat an odds-on shot of O'Brien's (Greatwallofchina) at Limerick last weekend and is due to have a quick follow-up in the Loughbrown.
Trainer Kevin Prendergast confirmed the Medicean colt an intended starter in the seven-furlong event, and added that soft ground wouldn't be an inconvenience to Mr Medici.
