Jockey Billy Gleeson had to take a deep breath and try to forget the pain of a severely broken leg to let his girlfriend and parents know he was OK on Tuesday after falling from his horse during the May Racing Carnival.
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The three were watching the Warrnambool races from Ireland and Gleeson knew his mother Elizabeth and girlfriend Joanna Morrissey would be panicking.
The 25-year-old had hoped his girlfriend would be watching on from their home in Ballarat, but she was forced to return to Ireland recently.
"She went on a holiday to the US before the coronavirus pandemic," Gleeson said.
"She wanted to come back here but she wasn't allowed to. She had to go home to Ireland."
Gleeson said he had never experienced as much pain as he did when he fell awkwardly from Zataglio and broke his leg in two places during the Brierly Steeplechase.
"I think he took off too soon and and landed in the middle of the jump," he said.
"The impact sent me flying into the air."
Gleeson said he initially thought it was going to be a soft fall, but his leg twisted in the air and he landed on it.
"I've never experienced pain that quickly," he said.
"I knew I was in a spot of bother."
While he was laying on the ground he was struck by another horse.
"I actually didn't even feel that because I was in so much pain," Gleeson said.
When paramedics reached him on the track, they advised him not to look at his leg because there was a bone sticking out of it.
"They were surprised I didn't black out," Gleeson said.
"They said 'don't look down' and I knew it wasn't going to be pretty."
Gleeson said he sent a text message to his girlfriend as soon as he could and called his parents.
"Dad is an ex-jockey so he understands but my mum panics," he said.
Gleeson underwent surgery and had a rod placed in his leg on Wednesday morning.
He hopes to return home to Ballarat in a few days.
Gleeson said he believes it will be at least six months before he can get back to jumps racing.
But he is determined to get back in the saddle after relocating to Australia to race.
Gleeson said he was lucky to have escaped any serious injuries. "It could have been worse, I think I got off pretty lightly," he said.
Gleeson said he was relieved to hear from trainer Eric Musgrove that Zataglio was not injured in the incident.
"He's 100 per cent fine, which is great because he's a nice, old horse," he said.
"He didn't fall - he kept running."
Gleeson said he loved jumps racing and he dreams of one day taking out the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat.
He also dreams of one day winning the Grand Annual at Warrnambool.
For now though he is focused on recovering and hopes his girlfriend is able to return to Australia soon.
He praised the paramedics who helped him after the fall.
"They were fantastic - everyone has been so great," Gleeson said.
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