An iron nerve is an invaluable asset to any jockey but a bad fall can crack even the most resolute resolve. “It was a blessing in disguise,” said Jarred Samuel of his fall nine months ago referring to a temporary amnesia when asked about how he feels to be back race-riding. “I don’t remember the fall so I’m keen to get back in the saddle. Nothing has changed.”
Samuel makes his return to racing at Scottsville on Sunday where he has four mounts. He has been riding work for a month but it has been a frustrating comeback waiting for his specialist to give the green light to race-ride. “The CT scans are clear so I’m looking forward to getting back on Sunday. It will be exactly nine months since my fall.”
“I have been gyming and swimming to keep my fitness but you know that riding is a different kind of fitness that you can only get by riding in races.”
Jarred Samuel
The stipendiary stewards report gives a bland account of what was a horrific fall in the fourth race at Greyville on December 4 last year.
The report reads: MUSIC WORLD (*N Gumede) hanging out in the straight, shifted out shortly before the finish resulting in FLY AWAY WITH ME (J Samuel) clipping heels, falling and dislodging the rider. An Inquiry will be held into this incident.
In fact, Samuels was knocked unconscious. “My horse clipped heels and fell and two horses ran over me and knocked me out,” he recalls having watched video replays of the incident.
“I was in an induced coma for seven or eight days and on a ventilator and life-support for the first four or five days.”
“I don’t remember the fall and December and January are a blank. Apparently I greeted all my visitors by name but I don’t remember anything.”
“A month after the fall I was still complaining of a sore back and after x-rays it was found that I also had a fractured spine.”
“It’s taken time to heel and I still wear a back brace at home for some support, but it will be exactly nine months to the day when I ride at Scottsville on Sunday.”
Jarred currently goes to scale at 53kg.
Andrew Harrison
