Premier jockey Hugh Bowman says he is thrilled to be back in the saddle ahead of returning to Group One action at Rosehill at the Golden Slipper meeting.
He returned to trackwork with champion mare Winx on Tuesday morning after being out of action with a concussion from a race fall from his Golden Slipper mount Performer.
Bowman was cleared to return after passing a cognitive test on Monday, nine days after his fall.
“It was good to be back in the saddle, certainly great to be back on board Winx. She felt better than ever this morning,” Bowman told Melbourne radio station RSN927.
He will partner Winx as she attempts a world record 17th Group One win in Saturday’s George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill and will get back on her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Performer in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper.
Bowman was thrown from Performer when the colt made a sudden step to the left in the Todman Stakes.
“I think I hit him in the wither with my knee and he didn’t appreciate it,” Bowman said.
Performer was sent back to the trials after the incident and came through with flying colours wearing blinkers.
Bowman said he was hoping for an inside Slipper barrier for Performer, but the two-year-old came up with 16.
He nominated the Tony McEvoy-trained Sunlight as the runner to beat and said forecast rain could open the race up.
“I think there’s three lengths between half the field,” he said.
Bowman’s other Group One rides are the Waller-trained D’Argento in the Rosehill Guineas and Le Romain in The Galaxy and Prized Icon in the Ranvet Stakes, both trained by Kris Lees.
