Jockey Pat Carbery's dream of claiming his first Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes remains alive after the rider successfully passed initial concussion checks following a scary race fall last Thursday.
Road to Recovery
Carbery described the incident as a "mild concussion" during an interview with SEN's Giddy Up, but expressed confidence in his recovery progress. "It certainly knocked me around but I'm back on track now," Carbery revealed. "I just have to go through the concussion protocols of the 12 days, and get back into it."
The experienced jockey expressed surprise at his rapid improvement, noting that his doctor was impressed with how sharp he appeared during Friday's examination. Despite the setback, Carbery maintained a positive outlook, acknowledging that other riders involved in the same incident faced more serious consequences.
Jokers Grin Shines Under Replacement
While Carbery watched from the sidelines, his mount Jokers Grin demonstrated his class with a dominant half-length victory in the Colonel Reeves Stakes under replacement rider Shaun O'Donnell. The win came despite Carbery's absence, with the gelding sitting back in the field before unleashing his characteristic finishing burst.
Carbery admitted feeling "really weird" watching the race from home, but had provided O'Donnell with extensive guidance about the horse's characteristics. "I spoke to Shaun at length on the Friday and told him everything that you need to know," Carbery said. "A lot of things that no one else would know because no one's really sat on him at all."
Winterbottom Stakes Showdown Looms
The news sets up an exciting showdown for the $1.5 million Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week, where Carbery is expected to reunite with his talented mount. Jokers Grin currently sits as a $3 second favourite behind Overpass ($2.50 favourite), who arrived in Perth on Monday night.
Ominously for rivals, Carbery revealed that the five-year-old might still have improvement to come. "Bernie's really happy with how he's come through. He's extremely surprised how well he's come through the run," Carbery said, referring to trainer Bernie Miller. "We believe he hasn't even touched his ceiling yet."
The connections had previously turned down an Everest slot to keep the horse in Western Australia, allowing him to mature further. Carbery also suggested the gelding's action indicates he could potentially handle longer distances in future campaigns.
