Premiership leader Linda Meech back to the races after two month injury lay-off

Linda Meech is within reach of her maiden Victorian jockeys’ premiership but after recovering from a broken collarbone, she admits she won’t overload herself with rides in pursuit of the title.

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When Linda Meech tried literally to get back on the horse last month, she couldn’t.

But on Saturday at Donald, just over two months after she broke her collarbone in a fall at Geelong, the Victorian jockeys’ premiership leader will be back race-riding in pursuit of her first title.

Despite not riding since April 17, Meech has maintained her lead in the premiership having netted 114 winners before her injury.

John Allen is next best with 111 but the combination of suspensions, and a trip home to Ireland, make it unlikely he’ll catch Meech before the end of the season, on July 31.

Linda Meech will return to race-riding at Donald on Saturday. Picture: AAP

Jye McNeil (95) is third and closing and Meech said she had glanced at the premiership numbers “a couple of times” during her lay-off.

But the 38-year-old said she wouldn’t take any risks with not only her own safety, but also those around her before coming back. She said chasing a title was never a priority.

“It would be great to win a premiership but there’s no point risking a career to do it,” she said. “You have to be strong, because it’s dangerous, and you don’t want to put anyone else in danger because you aren’t capable of doing the job. I just want to go back 100 per cent.”

Getting back to that level took more time than Meech initially thought. She got a “reality check” when she first tried to jump back on a horse, too.

“I went to spring on one, like I always have, but I had to be legged up,” she said. “It was the day before I got clearance to ride work, but I wanted to see where I was at. It was something I normally do every day, and I couldn’t even get on. I just couldn’t physically do it.”

Linda Meech holds a three-win lead in the Victorian jockeys’ premiership. Picture: Getty Images

Meech, who also holds a training licence, took her time, started trotting on her own horses, then got back in to track work and rode in some official trials at Ballarat last Friday.

Her shoulder came through the work well, and more trackwork this week was enough to give her the confidence she could get back to the races.

But Meech, who had 640 rides this season before her fall, said she wouldn’t be over-committing herself with bookings, content to just take a few rides per meeting as she works her way back.

“Jye might catch me,” she said. “I’m not going to go hammer and tongs. I’m going to look after myself. I just want to get really fit before I put myself under too much pressure. I just want to get back.”

RACE TO THE FINISH

Victorian jockeys’ premiership

114 — Linda Meech

111 — John Allen

95 — Jye McNeil