Luke Nolen close to latest injury comeback
The jockey who rode champion mare Black Caviar to 22 of her 25 wins is close to a return from his latest injury.
Luke Nolen hasn’t ridden since falling from Miss Promiscuity in the Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on May 7.
Nolen fractured eight ribs and a shoulder blade 40 minutes after being on a Group One high from winning the Australasian Oaks on Abbey Marie.
He had only returned to the saddle in February after being sidelined with a back injury.
Nolen has been back riding trackwork, trials and jump-outs in the past two weeks and hopes to get the all clear for a racetrack return after the Cranbourne trials on Monday.
He will visit Racing Victoria doctor Gary Zimmerman on Tuesday with the aim of riding at Cranbourne on Thursday.
“The body has got a bit of improvement to make,” Nolen told Melbourne radio station RSN927.
“I’ll be a little bit burly first-up but it’s heading in the right direction.”
Nolen says he has 95 per cent movement in his shoulder but is suffering a bit of muscle soreness.
“If one wants to be a bit bold with me I get a bit of soreness,” he said.
“I’m recovering a bit better than early in my journey back.”
Nolen says he’s been able to keep his weight in check, creeping over the 60kg mark rather than ballooning out to 70kg as he did during his previous break.
He doesn’t expect to be at his peak for about a month as he gets his eye back in to race riding.
Nolen said at no time did he think of giving up his career and he was looking forward to his return.
“I haven’t done a lot of riding in the last 12 months, so I’m looking forward to completing a full season,” he said.