Mick Fitzgerald is ready to return to action on Thursday after coming through a fitness test without any problems today.
Fitzgerald`s shoulder, fractured in a fall at Newbury on November 8th, has healed satisfactorily to allow the sought-after jockey to come back.
'Thankfully I didn`t feel anything at all when I rode out this morning,' he said. 'There was no adverse reaction at all.
'The shoulder is fine and it`s a big improvement on a week ago. All being well I`m planning to return on Thursday.'
Nicky Henderson will be delighted that his stable jockey is back in the best of health with an important weekend looming at Sandown.
The trainer`s runners on Saturday include Tiutchev and Get Real in the Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Chase and Dusk Duel in the Extraman Trophy.
Fiztgerald is set to partner Tiutchev who will use the race as a launching pad for a possible tilt at the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.
'I worked Tiutchev this morningand he went very nicely. He`s certainly one to look forward to and it`s great that I will be able to ride him on Saturday,' said Fitzgerald.
Dusk Duel may face sterner opposition than originally expected with four horses put into the Extraman Chase when it was reopened.
Ask The Natives, Real Estate, Shooting Light and Skram were added to the list boosting the number of entries to nine for the Grade Two event, formerly known as the Henry VIII Novices` Chase.
