Injured Hawick jockey Rhys Elliott targeting return to racing within next two months

The 18-year-old has been recovering at home in Hawick after being released by Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary last month and is set to consult medics at the Injured Jockeys’ Fund’s Jack Berry House at Malton in North Yorkshire tomorrow, November 25, as he continues on course for a comeback.

Elliott – rider of 15 winners this season, the last of them to date on Golden Valour at Musselburgh on Monday, October 14 – sustained a punctured lung and fractures to his neck and spine in a fall at Newcastle’s Gosforth Park racecourse the day after that victory in East Lothian.

That fall happened while the apprentice jockey was riding Masterpainter for his employer, County Durham trainer Michael Dods.

The four-year-old bay gelding is also expected to make a full recovery.

Elliott, formerly employed at now-retired Hawick trainer Alistair Whillans’ stables, has worked at Dods’ yard at Denton, near Darlington, since 2022 and he’s hoping to be back in action in early 2025.

“Rehab is going really well, the best I could have hoped for,” he told a blog for Dods’ stables.

“I’m going to Jack Berry House on Monday to plan the next stage of my rehab that will get me back on the road to full fitness.

“I hope to be back out riding by the first few weeks of January. I’m missing everyone at the yard.

“Thank you all so much for the messages of support and phone calls.

“I can’t wait to be back racing as soon as possible.”