Fitzgerald fit for ride on Tiutchev

Mick Fitzgerald will be fit to ride Tiutchev in Saturday's feature event, the Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy Chase at Sandown.

The 30-year-old jockey has been sidelined since fracturing a shoulder bone in a fall at Newbury 20 days ago. But after piloting his big-race mount in an exercise session at trainer Nicky Henderson's Lambourn yard this morning, Fitzgerald declared himself now fully mended.

"I rode Tiutchev in a bit of work and he went very nicely. I then did the same on another youngster and felt A1," he said. "I'll be schooling Tiutchev over some practice fences either tomorrow or the next day and I'm definitely riding him at the weekend. I anticipate having my first race-ride back on Thursday."

That comeback mount is set to be the Henderson-trained Ceanannas Mor in the John O'Gaunt Maiden Chase at Leicester, provided the meeting passes a precautionary inspection. The six-year-old gelding is a full-brother to sidelined stablemate Stormyfairweather, on whom Fitzgerald has won the past two renewals of the Cathcart Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Fitzgerald had hoped to be fit to ride in last Saturday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury but discomfort during a similar training session a week ago convinced him to take another seven days of physiotherapy.

Meanwhile, Flat rider Chris Rutter reported Lingfield's all-weather surface safe for racing today after walking the track in his role as southern jockeys' safety officer.

Conditions were fiercely criticised during last Wednesday's meeting when sizeable stones were discovered within the 'kick-back' of the sand-like, Equitrack surface.

"The Lingfield staff have done a lot of work on the track, harrowing it and removing the stones that were somehow introduced when the surface was re-laid. I now have no reservations about riding on it."