BENDIGO jockey John Keating is remaining upbeat despite suffering a setback in his recovery from a nasty race fall at Wangaratta on April 24.
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Keating underwent surgery on his collarbone last week, further pushing the date for his anticipated return to the saddle back to late October, or early November.
The 47-year-old has spent the last four weeks in a neck brace and back brace after suffering fractures of two vertebrae, a high neck fracture and a dislocated collarbone in the fall.
Keating, who won the race aboard the Matthew Enright-trained Bonfire Gold, which fell only metres past the winning post, initially avoided surgery on his collarbone.
He still has no recollection of the race.
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Keating described last Wednesday's surgery as a success.
"They had to screw my collarbone down and then took tendons from my leg to wrap around the collarbone to hold it in place," he said.
"That is going to take time to settle down.
"From this operation, besides the fractures to my back and neck, this is going to take anything from three to six months to repair and get back to full strength."
Keating, who has ridden more than 700 winners in his career in Australia and dozens more overseas during a stint in Malaysia from 2005 to early 2008, said the news on his fracture injuries was much better.
"The fracture at the base of my skull is healing up well and likewise the fractures on my vertebrae," he said.
"I've been wearing an upper-body brace for four weeks and the neck brace has been on the same time.
"The neck brace is on 24/7 and I have to sleep with it on, whereas the back brace I can take off. It should be another two or three weeks and they should be off."
Keating is adamant he will be back 'stronger than ever' eventually and believed his injuries to be 'nothing career ending'.
"I'm on the mend ... it's a little bit longer than I expected," he said.
"I was led to believe earlier that I might have the braces on for six weeks and then be back race riding within three weeks or a month.
"But with this collarbone it will be a touch longer - I'm hoping mid-spring, October or November."
The injured jockey is continuing to remain active with regular long walks and spends his days keeping up with the races on television and doing jigsaw puzzles, a past-time he described as 'far easier than riding a winner'.
Keating said he would like nothing better than to be back in the saddle by Bendigo Cup day on October 30.
He praised the 'overwhelming' support of the Bendigo and wider racing fraternities, both in Australia and overseas, for their encouragement and well-wishes during his rehabilitation, and the love and care of wife Desiree and their children.
"Racing people everywhere have been fantastic with their messages of support ... the Bendigo racing fraternity in particular has stuck together and been offering help and running me around because I can't drive," Keating said.
"The local racing people and even the greater community in Bendigo have just been phenomenal.
"The true character of people comes out when others are in need and I've got a lot of people to thank for what they have offered and done for me."
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