Maguire ready to ride again

Adrian Maguire, who damaged his knee in a pile-up at Leicester last week, has recovered so quickly that he is considering riding at Sandown on Saturday.

It was initially feared that Maguire faced six weeks out of the saddle, taking him dangerously close to missing another Cheltenham Festival, but even a revised prediction of three weeks' absence could prove too pessimistic.

Maguire, who hopes to ride out tomorrow, said: "I've not sat on a horse since the fall but I have been doing plenty of exercise. The leg is improving very quickly and I feel very good."

Lanfranco Dettori, who returned to a British race-track for the first time this year at Lingfield yesterday, drew a blank with both his rides - Flirty Gertie for Ron Boss and Awasha for Gay Kelleway - but displayed his usual enthusiasm about prospects for the coming year.

While travelling abroad for six weeks he linked up with Jeremy Noseda, who was part of the Godolphin team last year but who now trains in California.

"I have ridden some work for Jeremy during the last few weeks, but I haven't done any race-riding. Although I am lacking a couple of notches on the fitness scale, my weight is pretty good and it doesn't take me long to get fit.

"Matty [Cowing], my agent, will keep me busy over the next month and then I am off to Dubai for the whole of March. I'll be riding out for Godolphin in the build-up to the Dubai World Cup and then, with no suspensions and no injuries, hopefully I can win another Jockeys' Championship."