Horse racing: Nicholls suffers jockey blow

4:48pm Wednesday 19th November 2008

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OLVESTON-BORN trainer Paul Nicholls suffered a blow at the Cheltenham Open last weekend as his top jockey Ruby Walsh was injured when falling off Pride of Dulcote.

Kauto Star, who won the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, will now be ridden by Sam Thomas in the Betfair Chase at Haydock this Saturday. The horse will be looking to win that race for the third year in a row.

Walsh is expected to be out for five to six weeks after he had his spleen removed after receiving a kick in the stomach on Saturday.

Before that, Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase hot favourite Silverburn finished down the field in sixth place.

However, the country’s leading jump trainer, Nicholls, did enjoy some success at the three-day event in Cheltenham.

On Friday, Walsh won the Graduation chase with Ornais and on Sunday Thomas won the Novices chase with another French horse, Tatenen.