Nico de Boinville is poised to make his return from a broken collar bone at Market Rasen on Friday.

The rider was injured in a fall at Doncaster on December 29 but should he pass the doctor on Thursday, De Boinville will make his comeback on two mounts for his boss, Nicky Henderson, at the Lincolnshire track.

However, not only does De Boinville need to get medical permission to resume riding, he also needs the meeting to pass a precautionary inspection at noon on Thursday due to the current cold spell.

De Boinville does appear to have won his race against time to take the plum mount on Jonbon in Saturday’s BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot – although that meeting is also subject to the weather. He would clearly be in pole position to ride should the meeting be moved to Cheltenham the following week, as happened last year.

The situation neatly sums up the life of a National Hunt jockey as De Boinville has only taken the reins on Jonbon this season as regular partner Aidan Coleman remains sidelined himself.

Henderson said: “He’s got to pass his medical tomorrow and if he passes that then he’s fine to ride.

“Obviously James (Bowen) has stepped up brilliantly in his absence but Nico has been riding out since last weekend.

“Nico knows them all inside out but James is in here everyday as well, he knows them all too.”

De Boinville is scheduled to ride Jemura in the Read Nicky Henderson’s Exclusive Unibet Blog Handicap Hurdle and Kutaiba in the Listed  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat Race.

Looking ahead to Ascot, Henderson said: “It’s such a pain with the weather as everyone is really looking forward to it. We hope it will be all right.

“I don’t see why we wouldn’t go to Cheltenham next week if that is what happens. I’ve seen they’ve said El Fabiolo probably won’t travel twice, but it is pointless me speculating what they might or might not do.

“All I know is we are very happy with Jonbon, we couldn’t be happier and we were really looking forward to the race, I’m sure a lot of people were, and hopefully it will still take place with both of them running.

“We haven’t been held up by the weather, the only thing we can’t do is school on grass but we’ve got an all-weather schooling strip as well and an indoor school, so otherwise everything is fine.

“I’m trying to be an optimist, but I’m finding it quite hard.”

Olly Murphy had a double on the card at Market Rasen as Itchy Feet returned to winning ways in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

The nine-year-old is a seasoned campaigner for the yard, with his seven victories including the Grade One Scilly Isles Chase in 2020.

He started out last term over fences but reverted to hurdling to qualify for Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, where he finished 11th of 23 after coming home second at Grade Two level in the Rendlesham at Haydock.

Pulled up on his seasonal reappearance at Newton Abbot last month, this time the gelding started at 7-2 and ran a pleasing race to come home three and a half-lengths ahead of Giovanni Change with Dan Skelton’s Le Milos back in third.

“It was nice to get Itchy Feet’s head back in front,” said Murphy.

“At the age he is now, it’s nice to see him be as resolute as he still is, he’s a credit to everyone at home.

“It’s nice to win a good pot with him, they’re hard to win with when they’re at that end of the handicap and it was great to see him win again.”

Murphy’s second winner on the card was The Same, a debutant over fences who made success look easy in the Pertemps Network Novices’ Handicap Chase when jumping well and winning by nine and a half lengths as the 7-4 favourite.

“He was good, he jumped really well. He’s a horse who will appreciate a big track and three miles in time,” Murphy said.

“He was lightly raced over hurdles and he appreciated a fence, hopefully he’s going to be a nice staying chaser for his owners.

“With the size of him he was crying out for a fence, I thought he jumped immaculately for a novice. Hopefully that’ll stand him in good stead when he goes up in grade.”

Martin Keighley’s Found On will bid for black type as she returns to Market Rasen for the Rhino.Bet Bud Booth Mares’ Chase on Thursday.

The eight-year-old has been consistent in recent seasons, winning six of her last eight starts over distances varying from two and a half miles to three.

She hit the ground running this season when making her yearly reappearance at this track in October, winning a competitive handicap chase by four lengths under Sean Bowen.

The mare will now return to the Lincolnshire circuit at Listed level, where she is set to join four rivals over an increased trip of three miles.

“It was a really good performance, her first run of the season at Market Rasen,” said Keighley.

“That was quite a strong handicap and she did it well, as soon as she won there we had this in mind as we’re desperate to get her some black type.

“We’ve saved her for this race and hopefully she can, she’s been to the track twice and won there twice, she’ll like the decent ground so I’m hoping for a big run.

“The Dan Skelton horse will be a hard one to beat, but she’s in good form and if she doesn’t win and is in the first three, it will be great to get her black type.”

The Skelton horse in question is Galia Des Liteaux, a Grade Two winner last season who was most recently seen coming home fourth behind Gerri Colombe in the Mildmay at Aintree.

Nicky Henderson’s Tweed Skirt, Sue Smith’s Burrows Diamond and Jedd O’Keeffe’s Fairfield Ferrata complete the line up.