Hey, I’m Okay! Chris Taylor is ready to ride winners.
Jockey Chris Taylor has stated categorically that he is fit and able to accept rides. This follows innacurate reports earlier this week that he would be sidelined for three months.
The miscommunication arose during the course of discussions.
In a telephonic interview today, Taylor said that he was currently having treatment for an old neck/back injury. He confirmed that the three month rest option would only be considered if the injury did not come right by the end of this month. The break would then be as a precautionary measure and a decision only taken after further tests and scans.
“I am not riding on painkillers so as to pinpoint the painful areas and it is a day-to-day process. I will also restrict myself with regards to lightweight rides so that the injury is not aggravated. Until then I will ride as much as I can and am available until booked off by the doctors that oversee my recovery. The injury only flares up hours after riding and has no effect on my race day performance while the muscles are warm.Every jockey lives with some amount of pain every day and some days hurt more than others,” he said philosophically.
Taylor, who has made a terrific start to the season and after his Comrades Marathon fundraising run was considered one of the fittest riders in the country, incurred the injury at Fairview on Friday 16 March when a horse flipped.
He had physio on the Saturday and rode a cracking winner at Clairwood on the same weekend.
He is undergoing chiro/pyhsio/acupuncture treatments up to 3 times a week and gyms at least twice a week in order to get the muscle- tone correct. He added that he was also restricting his lightweight rides as medication played with weight.
