Horse racing - Cheltenham great Walsh suffers suspected broken leg

LONDON (Reuters) - The Cheltenham Festival's most successful jockey Ruby Walsh suffered a suspected broken leg when he fell while riding Al Boum Photo in the RSA Novice Chase on Wednesday.

The Irish jockey, 38, had been set to ride in the day's Queen Mother Champion Chase later.

Walsh, who had just come back from a broken leg, was taken to hospital for X-rays.

Trainer Willie Mullins, for whom Walsh was supposed to have ridden Douvan in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, said that early indications were that it was a break.

"It looks as if it's the same injury as before. It's right on the same point, but until we get the X-rays we can't be sure," he told the BBC. "It's hugely disappointing for Ruby and everyone.

"That's sport. We have to pick up and move on. He's got an injury and I'm hoping he'll recover from it."

Walsh rode Kauto Star to victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009 and had 56 victories in the famous jumps festival coming into this year's event.

In Walsh's absence Altior, ridden by Nico de Boinville, won the day's big race, the Queen Mother.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)