A JOCKEY has spoken of his joy after a successful ride in his comeback race, just seven weeks after suffering horrific injuries in a fall and being put in an induced coma.

Middleham-based jump jockey Henry Brooke was placed fourth riding four-year-old filly Sophie Olivia in the Racing Again 13th December Intermediate Open at Catterick, his first race since fracturing eight ribs and his right shoulder blade and puncturing a lung at Hexham, in October.

After the race on Wednesday, the 25-year-old, whose trainer mother Julia runs a yard in Middleham, said he would follow the ride at Catterick with others ahead of mounting last year's winner Highland Lodge in the Betfred Becher Chase at Aintree on Saturday, a race he announced as his comeback target, immediately after coming out of the coma.

He said: "It was really good to be back, it has been a grand day, but I'm tired and ready to sleep.

"I hope that all the faff following the fall has now finished. I'm going to be busy for the next few days."