Davy Russell hopes to be back on horseback next week as he steps up his recovery from the serious injuries he suffered in a fall in October.

Ireland’s three-time champion jockey has been on the sidelines since dislocating and fracturing vertebrae in a first-fence fall in the Munster National at Limerick aboard Doctor Duffy.

As well as damaging his C6 and C7 vertebrae, the 41-year-old dislocated his T1, meaning he needed traction to get everything back into its rightful place.

Russell, who was on board for both of Tiger Roll’s Grand National wins, has recently had his neck brace removed – and while a return to competitive action still appears some way off, he is hoping to get back to work in the coming days.

He said: “It won’t happen this week now, but I’m hoping to be back on a horse next week.

“I’ve all the gear off now. It was hard work and uncomfortable, but that’s the way it is.

“Hopefully I’ll pop up to Gordon’s (Elliott) next week and we’ll see how we go.

“We’re a long way away from that (returning to race-riding). It (the injury) is working fine on the ground, but it has to be working properly on a horse before we look too far ahead.”