Former champion apprentice jockey Tengku Rehaizat on Tuesday rode at his first barrier trials since his nasty race fall back in January.
Rehaizat fell off Lucky Eighty Eight in the opening race on January 9, dislocating a finger, and hurting his back and knee as well. The Mohd Yusof-trained galloper was last down the back when John Sundradas’s mount Bargain Bid suddenly stumbled and fell at the 900m mark, causing Lucky Eighty Eight to trip over him and dislodge Rehaizat.
Despite being given two months of medical leave, the hard-working apprentice jockey defied his doctor’s orders by starting training and exercising a month after the accident.
“I know it takes time for me to get back my fitness and everything. So I started one month earlier so I can start riding in races by next week,” said Rehaizat.
“If I took up the two months’ MC, that means I was going to start on the third month. That’s kind of a waste.”
Rehaizat, who felt a little tired after the two barrier trials, said that the hot weather and the strict diet regime were to blame.
“Usually, when I had a break, I tend to gain weight,” he said. “It’s very tiring especially now as I weigh 59kg and if I was to ride on Friday, that means I have to lose 4kgs in just four days!
While the father-to-be cannot wait to get back in raceday mode, he admitted that the fall had left him slightly shaken, but to him, he is only human. An advice given to him seven or eight years ago by fellow senior jockey Benny Woodworth gave him strength to continue.
“Benny once told me it (phobia) will come and stay with you for a while. After you get the excitement, the winning feeling, you will totally forget everything,” he said.
“That’s how it goes, but you’ve just got to overcome it. I think a lot of jockeys have fallen and most will ride again.”
Rehaizat said he remembered watching the race fall replay in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and realised how lucky he had been, but that was not the worst fall he had been victim of. Five years ago, he fractured his pelvis and backbone after falling from Face Off who was then known as Dynamic Master.
“Actually I thought John would be more hurt than me as he took a bad fall from his horse (Bargain Bid). I was at the back and I had no time to avoid his fallen horse,” he said.
“I just closed my eyes and prayed I won’t be too hurt. I was lucky I only hurt my middle finger as I was worse off when I fell off Face Off.”
