Jockey Jake Noonan will ride at Mornington next week after having 3 months off due to injury
Jake Noonan will get back in the saddle at Mornington’s race meeting next Wednesday after having three months off following a horrific race fall in May.
The young apprentice suffered career threatening head injuries after the fall, which occurred in the Veolia Environmental Service Handicap at Flemington Racecourse.
“I had a fall at Flemington back on the 7th May,” Noonan said.
“I had a bit of bruising to the frontal lobes of my brain but I’m back on track now.”
The young jockey, who is the son of prominent Melbourne trainer Tony Noonan, suffered a number of alarming side effects as a result of the fall.
“I’d lost all my balance and I was semi paralysed down the left side of my body,” Noonan said.
“I’m glad that I picked up but for a certain amount of time it was quite frightening.
“(But) I always thought pretty positive,”
Noonan’s recovery was not a quick process.
“I went to a rehab centre after I was in hospital for a few weeks,” he said.
“Being naturally fit from riding all the time I was pretty fit.
“(But it still) took me a good three weeks to get back.”
The apprentice will now return to racing next Wednesday at Mornington after completing his three month stint on the sidelines.
“We’re looking on returning next Wednesday,” Noonan said.
“I probably could have been capable to return a lot sooner but they wanted me to wait the three months.”
Noonan found it hard not to put on weight during his rehabilitation.
“I put on a little bit of weight, I got to 58 kilograms,” he said.
“I’m back down to 54 now.”
The jockey, who is already quite tall, is unsure about his future prospects due to his natural weight being higher than his shorter colleagues.
“I’m quite lightly boned… so I’m bit like Steven Arnold,” Noonan said.
“It just depends how I grow in the next couple of years.
“I’ll just have to see what the future holds.”
Should a career as a top jockey not be on the cards for Noonan, he plans to stay true to his passion for horse racing by studying at university.
“I did quite well at school and got into a course in business management and recreations,” Noonan said.
“I definitely want to stay in something to do with sports and horses… it’s been my passion”
But for now, Noonan is just hoping to have a winning comeback to racing next Wednesday.
“I hope we can come back with a bang… that would be ideal,” he said.
