Mark Du Plessis will have two rides at Eagle Farm today as he takes another step in his measured return to race riding following an eleven-week, injury enforced layoff.
In the immediate aftermath of shocking four horse fall at Ipswich on July 3, it was clear that Mark Du Plessis had suffered an extensive list of serious physical injuries … a fracture of the T6, T7 and T8 … a rib fracture … and damage to fingers and knuckles on both hands. He was also knocked out in the incident.
Toughing it out, Du Plessis was able to return to the saddle exactly eleven weeks after the fall and he came back a winner at Beaudesert last Thursday.
“I don’t normally go out to Beaudesert, but Will and Pete (Hulbert), who have been great supporters of mine. If it wasn’t for Will I probably wouldn’t have gone out there. He convinced me to ride.
“The stable had two horses. Will said they were both good chances, and he said, so let’s get you out there and get you going … and it was a really good result.” (Du Plessis won on Captain Eagle and finished second on Encrypted Feeling).
“Before last Thursday the doctor said to me, go and ride a couple at the races and see how you feel … and I went straight back to him and said I feel really good, but he has just kept me on light duties until the end of the weekend (September 29).
“He doesn’t want me taking any more than two or three rides. He told me, you’ve had a bad head-knock and your body has been pulled around a bit and has been in a bad way, so just take it easy and go slowly. There is no need to rush.”
So, it will be just two rides for Du Plessis at Eagle Farm today … Queen Jeddah, again for Peter and Will Hulbert, in the fourth race, and She Can Soar for trainer Kelly Schweida in the opening race on the card.
Queen Jeddah will be having her second start after finishing runner-up on her debut, while She Can Soar has yet to be placed in three starts.
