Jockey Declan Bates always had the All Star Mile circled on the calendar as a target for his comeback from serious injury last year.
He knew Pride Of Jenni would be waiting for him at Flemington on March 7, but admitted he doubted if he would recover from a fractured pelvis and sacrum in time.
Bates was injured when he fell in a jumpout at the start of December.
“Because of the nature of the injury, it was slow to start to heal,” Bates said. “I thought this is going to take a while, but after about six weeks, it was healing and it happened quickly from there, and I knew was going to be back.”
“I wanted to have a bit of riding before the All-Star Mile, and I started at Terang last week, and the body feels good.”
”I just wanted to get back into it.”
Bates was a winner with his first ride back on Burleigh at Terang and has had a couple of sits on Pride Of Jenni, the $4 All-Star Mile favourite.
“I have been on her a couple of times and I’m going to Cranbourne [on Monday] morning for her final bit of work,” Bates said.
“She feels fantastic, and it was certainly great to have her there as a lure when I was doing the rehab.”
”She is ready to go on Saturday and I’m happy to be back to be part of it.”
Bates will also reconnect with Too Darn Discreet in the Matron Stakes on Saturday, who he won the Heatherlie Stakes on in the spring.
“She is another nice ride and a mare I get on with well,” he said.
