Group One-winning jockey Josh Parr took his first major step towards a return from injury by riding trackwork on Saturday morning.
It was the first time in more than two months Parr has been able to ride a horse after being diagnosed with a stress fracture to his L5 vertebra.
“It felt good,” Parr said.
“I’m happy to be back and eager to ride winners.
“It’s been a little frustrating the past two weeks trying to get the clearance because I felt pretty good but the specialist thought it was still too early and the scans weren’t showing it was completely clear.
“But finally on Friday morning I got the clearance.
Parr hasn’t ridden in a race since November 19 at Kembla Grange, the day he had to forgo rides after just two races because of the pain in his back.
“I rode in the first two races for Peter Snowden that day and had rides later in the day but after I got off a horse called Arawak I was flat out even walking so I had to pull the pin,” he said.
Parr, whose biggest success in the saddle was the Group One Champagne Stakes on Skilled in 2010, said he wasn’t putting a timeframe on a raceday return.
“I feel like I could ride in a race right now but I don’t want to go back race riding even if I’m three-quarters fit,” Parr said.
“I want to be 100 per cent fit when I return because when you are not fit that’s when you make mistakes. I want to come back when I’m nice and fit and strong and come back in a good way.”
During his time out of the saddle Parr took the opportunity to venture to Hong Kong to visit his brother-in-law, fellow jockey Tim Clark.
Clark made the move to Hong Kong last year after a successful 2010/11 season in Sydney in which he finished third in the Sydney jockeys’ premiership behind only Nash Rawiller and Corey Brown.
“The first month I couldn’t really do anything and was basically bed-bound,” Parr said.
“After that I was doing a bit of physio and actually went over to Hong Kong to have a break and catch up with Tim.
“Seeing a different way to how things were done over there really opened my eyes up and made me really eager to get back riding.
“When I got home all I wanted to do was go back to riding but obviously I couldn’t which was frustrating.
“The last month has dragged out a bit but I’m really pleased the day has come where I can start riding work again.”
AAP TURF
