McNab keen to resume raceday competition

[Wandering Eyes]

After having to endure another stint on the sideline in his roller-coaster career, dual premiership-winning jockey Michael McNab is looking forward to his raceday return at Ellerslie this weekend.

McNab, who won back-to-back premierships in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, has been off the scene since early last September after suffering a complicated leg fracture when kicked by a young horse he was about to mount at an Ellerslie trial meeting.

The initial prognosis was for a six to eight-week recovery, but with a plate and screws having to be inserted in what turned out to be a more serious fracture, his recovery has taken more than five months.

“When it happened I went for x-rays in Auckland Hospital that night and they said it was a fracture of the bone just below my knee,” McNab said.

“Then when I got home more x-rays and scans revealed how bad it really was and I knew then it was going to be a long recovery.

“I was in a lot of pain and not quite able to understand what the surgeon was telling me, but as well as a plate and screws they inserted some sort of animal bone to help rebuild the missing bone at the top of my tibia.”

Adding further frustration to his predicament, McNab had established an early lead on the premiership in the opening weeks of the season, having been sidelined with a serious back injury 18 months earlier.

Since winning his two premierships with tallies of 144 and 164, he had still fared well to ride 124 winners when finishing second to Warren Kennedy in 2023-24 and 86 wins for another runner-up spot behind Craig Grylls last season.

“I’m just happy to be back,” said 40-year-old McNab, who is 79 wins short of joining the 1,000 wins club.

“I’m feeling good, the workout sessions have got me fit with my cardios and everything, and my weight is only about 1.5 kilos above what I’ve normally been able to make, so that will come back down pretty quickly.

“I’ve been back riding trackwork and had my first day at the trials on Tuesday, so that’s all gone really well.

“I’ve decided to ease back into raceday and I’ve taken just the two rides (Pier and Bulgari) on Saturday.

“That will be me for the first couple of weeks and I’m aiming to be all set for the big (Champions) day at Ellerslie.

“I’ve missed most of the spring and summer, so I’m keen to make up for that when I get back into it properly.” – Dennis Ryan, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

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