Popular Warrnambool jumps jockey Braidon Small is making a slow but encouraging recovery after suffering bleeding from the brain and broken ribs in a race fall at Racing.com Park on April 14.
Small said he feels “terrific” but understands his brain needs time to recover. He is due to return to a specialist on July 8.
“I’m feeling better each day,” he said. “The doctors have told me it’s going to take time before I’m fully recovered. 
“They’re happy with my progress. All the tests and scans have come back good. I have to have more scans on July 8. I can’t rush the process.”
Small was cleared to leave the racecourse following the fall after he told medical staff he was feeling all right, but once back home in Warrnambool he complained to wife Amy of headaches. 
She rushed him to Warrnambool’s South West Healthcare, where he was examined then transported to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.
“I owe my life to Amy,” he said. “The doctors have told me her quick thinking saved my life. I’m very lucky to be here. 
“I’m also thankful for all the support I’ve received from the Victorian Jockeys Association including Ron Hall, Lisa Stevens and Des O’Keeffe, and from my family and friends. 
“It was a very worrying time for my family for a few weeks. I was worried about the sight in one of my eyes but that has come good. It’s just going to take time before I’m fully recovered.”
The son of veteran Queensland jockey Cyril Small said he hopes to resume riding in jumps races in 2020.
“I want to ride again,” he said. “It’s been annoying that I’ve missed this year, but I’m hoping I’ll be all right in October to start on a fitness campaign which should have me ready to resume my riding career again next year.”
Small rates his win on Two Hats in the 2017 Houlahan Hurdle as one of his career highlights.
Miss too speedy
Home-bred mare Grassmere Miss scored an impressive maiden win for Warrnambool trainer Adam Chambers at Mount Gambier on Sunday.
Having her seventh start, Grassmere Miss defeated La Petite Rousse by 4½ lengths over 900 metres.
“It’s a special win because Grassmere Miss has spent all her life at the farm,” Chambers said. 
Grassmere Miss ($7) sat outside the leader on Sunday before breaking away for an easy win. 
“She’s a strong sprinting type of mare but I think she’ll struggle to run out a strong 1200 metres,” Chambers said. 
“She’ll be best suited to races between 900 and 1100 metres.”
Sunday’s maiden win took the mare’s earnings to $15,240.
Anvil rested
Last-start Edenhope winner Grogans Anvil has gone to the spelling paddock for a well deserved break.
Colac trainer Bill Cerchi said Grogans Anvil had been a wonderful money-spinner for his connections in his first campaign for the stable, winning more than $45,000 in 11 runs, with three wins and five seconds.
“He deserves a break,” Cerchi said. “He’s sound and he’s just a great horse for his owners because he always tries and earns a cheque.”
Cerchi said the training tracks at Colac were so heavy at this time of the year that many of his horses were heading to the spelling paddock.
“I’ve got five in work and three are running at Donald this Saturday but they’ll be going to the paddock on Saturday night,” he said. 
“The sand training track at Colac just gets too wet at this time of the year. It’s just too difficult to train horses. We’ll turn them out and bring them back in a few weeks.”
Little fish proves sweet
Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde appears to have pulled the right rein by running his lightly raced filly Shamal Lass at Geelong last Friday, rather than Ladbrokes Park on Saturday.
Shamal Lass ($2.45 favourite) defeated Great Duchess and Wheal Grace in the $35,000 benchmark 70 at Geelong while the highly rated Buffalo River scored an impressive victory in the Sandown race.
“I don’t think we would have beaten Buffalo River at Sandown,” Wilde said. “He looks a promising type. 
“We decided Geelong was an easier option and that proved right. I was happy with how she hit the finishing line. It was a strong win.”
Shamal Lass ran eighth at Flemington before her Geelong victory but Wilde said there were reasons for the failure.
“She jarred up at Flemington,” he said. “We just had to forget the run. She’d been consistent apart from that. 
“She’s been slow to mature but she’s now putting it all together. I think she’ll be even better in her next campaign.”
From her five starts Shamal Lass has notched two wins, two minor placings and $60,740.