The Galway Festival received a boost on Friday afternoon as Barry Geraghty revealed that he has been passed as fit to ride ahead of the seven-day extravaganza.
The Drumree, County Meath rider had endured a tough time of things in the past year, having fractured ribs and suffered a collapsed lung in a fall at Kempton Park in February which ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival.
JP McManus' retained rider then returned for just over a fortnight before fracturing his left arm in a fall from Minella Foru in the Irish Grand National.
Geraghty is now delighted to be back in the saddle, having been given the green light earlier today, saying:
"It's great to get the go-ahead and thankfully things have been going well recently, after missing the last three months.
"I haven't been back riding out yet but tomorrow morning I'll be starting off. I don't have a date in particular to come back next week just yet, we'll wait and see."
Geraghty will almost certainly have an exciting week at Galway – which starts a week on Monday – wearing the green and gold of McManus, hopefully making the hard work in returning to fitness particularly worthwhile.
"There's plenty to look forward to and a few nice ones to think about for Galway." continued Geraghty.
"I've been doing sessions to help the recovery in Santry and I'm in good shape, having done plenty of physio work."
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