Michael Walker
Michael Walker is excited for his return to the saddle, when he ends a three-month hiatus at Flemington trackwork on Thursday morning.
Walker last rode in a race on Sandown Cup Day - when he claimed the feature aboard Almoonqith - due to surgery for a hip replacement.
The Kiwi hoop said it was a long time coming to fix his hip issue, but said his recovery is ahead of schedule after going under the knife on December 22.
"The average age to get a hip replacement is 51, not 31," Walker said.
"Through my job, it's just wear and tear - I've ridden 16 years in pain, and hopefully I'm going to ride 10 years without pain.
"There was just nothing more they could do for me - it comes to the point where either I retire, or I get a hip replacement. I went with the latter.
"Hopefully, it's all good.
"I did my first gym session yesterday - the only downfall is the muscle wastage.
"I'm just looking forward to getting back."
Walker said he hopes to ride work for David Hayes and Tom Dabernig on Thursday morning, despite his surgeon saying it is normally a 12-week healing time for a hip replacement.
But Walker, winner of two Group 1s in 2015 for Lindsay Park aboard Spillway and Criterion, said it was up to his own discretion when he felt ready to come back to race riding. -racing.com
Walker last rode in a race on Sandown Cup Day - when he claimed the feature aboard Almoonqith - due to surgery for a hip replacement.
The Kiwi hoop said it was a long time coming to fix his hip issue, but said his recovery is ahead of schedule after going under the knife on December 22.
"The average age to get a hip replacement is 51, not 31," Walker said.
"Through my job, it's just wear and tear - I've ridden 16 years in pain, and hopefully I'm going to ride 10 years without pain.
"There was just nothing more they could do for me - it comes to the point where either I retire, or I get a hip replacement. I went with the latter.
"Hopefully, it's all good.
"I did my first gym session yesterday - the only downfall is the muscle wastage.
"I'm just looking forward to getting back."
Walker said he hopes to ride work for David Hayes and Tom Dabernig on Thursday morning, despite his surgeon saying it is normally a 12-week healing time for a hip replacement.
But Walker, winner of two Group 1s in 2015 for Lindsay Park aboard Spillway and Criterion, said it was up to his own discretion when he felt ready to come back to race riding. -racing.com