Popular jockey Darren Gauci expects to be race riding again in two weeks after being out of action since a race fall nine months ago.
Gauci, 46, has eased himself back into trackwork but got down to competitive riding in two official trials at Cranbourne on Monday.
He won one of the trials on the Peter Morgan trained two-year-old filly Danapaise while his other mount finished last.
“It was the first lot of trials back for me and everything went fine,” Gauci said.
“I pulled up all right and I will probably ride in a jump-out at Caulfield in the morning and see how I go.
“I would say I am probably two weeks off getting back the races.”
Gauci suffered a compressed fracture in one of his lower vertebrae, several broken ribs and a bruised aorta when his mount Gothic Armageddon collapsed and died of a heart attack at Mornington on June 27.
The jockey was in a back brace for several months.
His rehabilitation initially consisted of machine-assisted light weights, swimming and some light pedalling on an exercise bike.
Boxing, cycling and core strengthening exercises have helped him back to the saddle and he started riding an ex-racehorse at Graham Salisbury’s Heathcote farm at the end of November.
“It will be good to get back,” Gauci said.
“My back isn’t causing any problems at all.”
