Jockey Braidon Small fighting back from brain injury

Small, 28, got the all-clear from doctors last week to ride track work again.

He suffered bleeding from the brain and broken ribs following a race fall at Pakenham on April 14.

"The doctors are pleased with my progress but it's going to still take time," Small said.

"My recovery was always going to be slow due to the bleeding on the brain.

"I'm going to see my neurosurgeon at the end of June.

"I've got my fingers crossed that he'll give me a ticket to resume riding in jumps races. I'm feeling really well - each day I'm getting better.

"All my tests and scans have come back really good."

Small said the doctors and his wife Amy had saved his life.

Following the fall, Small was cleared to leave the racecourse after he told medical staff he was feeling OK but once back in Warrnambool he complained to his wife Amy of headaches.

Amy rushed him to Warrnambool's South West Healthcare where he was examined and transported to Melbourne's The Alfred hospital.

"I owe my life to Amy," Small said.

"The doctors have told me her quick-thinking saved my life. All my doctors have been sensational. I'm very lucky to be here.

"My family, friends and the Victoria Jockeys Association have been really supportive.

"Amy and I are now looking forward to the next stage of our lives, as she is expecting our second child on April 25.

"The impending birth is an exciting time for Amy, our daughter Erika and myself."

Small has won numerous jumps races but rates the win by Two Hats in the 2017 Houlihan Hurdle as one of his career highlights.

GROUP one-winning jockey Ryan Maloney took time out after his winning ride on Alligator Blood in the Australian Stakes at Flemington on Saturday to remember Camperdown trainer Geoff Daffy.

Daffy, 77, died suddenly on February 21 and his funeral service was held in Camperdown on Saturday afternoon.

Maloney, who was apprentice jockey to Colac trainer Mark Young, said he had numerous rides for Daffy during his apprenticeship and in the early part of his senior career.

"Geoff would give me rides as an apprentice and as a senior jockey ," he said.

"I ran second in the Colac Cup on one of the horses a couple of years ago.

"I had a fair few rides for Geoff after Neville 'Nifty' Wilson retired.

"Geoff was a great conditioner of horses and each time you got a ride for the Daffy stable you knew the horse race was fit.

"I was shocked to hear that he had passed away.

"It's undoubtedly a very sad time for Geoff's family and also for his great mate Nifty."

Maloney rode his first group one winner when Alligator Rock took out the Australian Stakes but it hasn't always been a charmed ride for the 34-year-old.

"It's been well documented that I've had mental health issues," he said.

"I've had them for more than 15 years and they still continue to this very day.

"I'm on medication to help me and I work out in the gymnasium each day to help me with my problems.

"There used to be a real stigma when people talked about mental health issues but that's changed a lot over the last three years."

Maloney attributed former top jockey Nick Hall for helping him with his problems.

"I went and saw Nick at a retreat camp near Healesville about 18 months ago," he said. "I spent six days there with Nick.

"There were no phones, no social media, no internet and no television.

"It was a case of just chilling out.

"It really helped me to go back to square one. It cleansed my soul, body and mind and put me on the right path."

Maloney will join forces with Alligator Blood again in the $5 million All-Star Mile at Caulfield on March 14, as the combination tries to win the richest 1600-metre race in the world.

"I'm lucky to be riding Alligator Blood," he said.

"The owners and trainer David Vandyke have been very loyal to me.

"It was exciting to ride Alligator Blood to my first group one victory but the excitement will go to another level if he can win the All-Star Mile."

From his 11 starts, Alligator Blood has won 10 races and collected more than $2.8 million in stakemoney for his connections.

VETERAN trainer Merv McKenzie admitted he's struggling to find suitable races for Big Reel after the eight-year-old ran seventh behind Our Gladiator in a 955-metre race at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

McKenzie said Big Reel's run looked disappointing on paper but was not that bad.

"Big Reel missed the start and you can't do that over 955 metres - your just out of the race," the Warrnambool-based trainer said.

"Big Reel finished up just over three lengths behind Our Gladiator, which was not a bad effort considering what happened at the start.

"I think he's looking for races over more ground but there's nothing around.

"It's just so hard to find suitable races for horses like Big Reel.

"I'll have a look around to see if there are any races over 1100 metres for his next start."

Big Reel has won eight of his 39 starts.