Six months after a horrific race fall that left him with a fractured neck, Brenton Avdulla has overcome his demons and made a remarkable comeback with a heart-warming Group 1 win aboard Hinged in the Surround Stakes at Randwick.
It has been a rocky road back to the saddle for the top jockey, who has not only had to work on regaining his health and fitness, but also on overcoming his own doubts and fears.
Avdulla only returned to race riding last Saturday, booted home his first winner midweek then found himself back in the Group 1 winner’s circle with a beautifully executed ride on Saturday.
“Pretty emotional week,” Avdulla said.
“It’s been well documented through the week about my comeback, but six months ago you are thinking, ‘is that all it?’
“That bit of self-doubt that you might not come back and if you do come back, how are you going to come back? Are you coming back at your best?
“It wasn’t until the last couple of weeks I really started to feel good.
“I’m very thankful to Chris, I think that’s my third Group One winner for him now. James (McDonald) can’t ride them all.”
Hinged ($10) was the least fancied of Waller’s three runners but she coped best with the heavy 10 conditions to cling to a half-head victory over the fast-finishing Startantes ($19).
The winner’s stablemate Espiona ($2.60 fav) was another 1-1/4 lengths away with Fangirl ($3.50) also running well to finish fifth.
Waller was rapt with the efforts of his trio and said out of the three, Hinged was the one that had improved the most physically this campaign.
“Compared to last year, she has put on about 30 kilos so of the fillies, she’s been the big improver in terms of weight,” he said.
“Fangirl and Espiona were both brave. They were giving away a big start and they (leaders) got away with some pretty soft sections from what I was looking at.”
Waller was also thrilled for Avdulla and said the win was testament to the 31-year-old’s tenacity and courage.
“It was a scary day, the day he fell, it sent shivers through my spine. It was the 200-metre mark here at Randwick,” Waller said.
“He is an amazing athlete.
“He has got himself back in a good position, he has done it properly, he hasn’t rushed things back. He is just a real good sportsman, so well-deserved.”