A JUMP jockey who was technically dead for six seconds after a racecourse fall two years ago is set to make his racing comeback this weekend.

Brian Toomey said he would dedicate his ride in the 4.20pm race at Southwell on Sunday – where he will go head-to-head with Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Richard Johnson – to everyone who had aided his recovery after suffering a life-threatening head injury in a race at Perth.

The 26-year-old, of Saltburn, who is based at stables in Middleham, said he expected the eyes of the horseracing world to be on him when he rides Lower Wensleydale trainer Phil Kirby's 11-year-old gelding Kings Grey, which won on its last outing.

Mr Toomey, who has ridden 49 National Hunt winners since 2008, said: “The race on Sunday has been my focus for the past two years.

"I could’ve taken the career-ending insurance available to me, but all I wanted to do was be a jockey.

"It’s my passion, it’s an addiction and it’s been my dream since I was a boy to be a jockey – it’s a job and a life I love.

"I can’t begin to list the people I want to thank, but I want to go out on Sunday and put in a good performance for them and of course my family.”

The jockey was attached to trainer Kevin Ryan’s stables at Hambleton, near Thirsk, at the time on the incident, after which he suffered swelling on his brain and had a substantial part of his skull removed.

Doctors gave Mr Toomey, a three per cent chance of surviving the first fortnight.

He spent two weeks in a coma and 157 days in hospital before beginning a recuperation programme, in which he completed physio and occupational therapy in order to regain his strength and balance.

He stunned the racing community last month by announcing he had passed stringent British Horseracing Authority tests and had been re-issued with a jockey’s licence, 704 days after the accident.

Professor Phil Kane, chief of neurosciences at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who oversaw much of Brian’s recovery, said: “Brian’s return to horseracing is absolutely incredible.

"Most of the praise has to go to Brian himself and his self-motivation to achieve this goal of getting back in the saddle and compete again after his horrendous fall and injury.”