Champion jockey Chris Munce will ride for the first time since it was revealed he is fighting cancer when he takes four mounts at Doomben on Wednesday.
One of Australia’s best jockeys, Munce shocked the racing world this week when news of his throat cancer battle became public.
Munce plans to keep riding until he starts a course of radiation therapy early next month, News Ltd reported.
Since his diagnosis two weeks ago, Munce has continued to ride winners, including Jet Style in a feature race at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“I’m not sick, physically I feel great, and my doctors have advised me to keep living like normal,” he told News Ltd.
“So, I’m not going to change anything, it is business as usual and I’ll keep riding for the rest of the month.
“I’m not going to lay down in a cave for the next month until treatment starts and feel sorry for myself.
“Once the treatment starts, I won’t be able to ride but I want to live each day as normally as I can.”
Munce, who won last season’s Brisbane jockeys’ premiership, is running second in this year’s title, four wins behind Michael Cahill.
His Doomben book includes a mount for Brisbane’s newest training partnership of John Meagher and his sons Chris and Dan.
Hannibal Ad Portas will have his first start for the partnership in the Coca-Cola Amatil Handicap (1350m).
One of Munce’s best chances will be the Barry Baldwin-trained Classic Bend in the www.brc.com.au Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old was well supported to make a winning debut at Doomben on November 14.
