BENDIGO jockey John Keating has quickly found his rhythm on his return to race-riding.
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Keating, who returned to the saddle at Echuca on Saturday, after more than four months on the sidelines through injury, needed just four rides to notch his first winner back.
After a trio of unplaced efforts earlier in the day, the 47-year-old struck success aboard the Brent Stanley-trained Battleborn in a 1400m benchmark 58 event.
It was the five-year-old gelding's second win in 15 starts and Stanley's fourth training success in the new season, after 30 in 2018-19.
For Keating, it was the confidence booster he needed after the horrific race fall at Wangaratta on April 24, which left him with fractures to his T4 and T7 vertebrae as well as a high neck fracture and collarbone injury.
"It was especially good, after being out for so long," he said.
"I suppose compared to the previous injury (in 2014) it wasn't as long sitting on the sidelines, but to come back and get a winner on the first day back justifies that I have come back at the right time.
"I'm thankful Brent has given me a good ride straight away, which has followed through with a win."
The returning jockey has made regular trips to ride at Stanley's Sutton Grange facility since resuming trackwork last month.
He is no stranger at the complex, having ridden there as early as 2002 when thoroughbred owner Peter Sidwell first established the operation for trainer Robbie Laing.
"As I was starting to get better after the injury and getting full movement back, I was talking to Brent at the races one day and he suggested coming out and jumping on a few," Keating said.
"We have been friends for many years from when he was a jockey.
"I jumped at the chance. It was a chance to work more horses and some different horses, and the way they train out there, they are on the track 35 to 40 minutes sometimes, so it was good to get the muscles working again properly."
Keating will have a pair of rides for Bendigo trainer Shaun Dwyer at Wangaratta on Tuesday, with Annobrete and Lady Brienne both having their first race starts.
He said both had shown enough in trackwork to suggest they would be reasonable chances.
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