Jockey Emily Pomfrett to make miracle riding comeback after scary fall that could have killed her

Brave apprentice jockey Emily Pomfrett will make a miracle return to race riding this week more than a year after she suffered horrific injuries when a horse flipped.

Almost 14 months since being speared off a horse and headfirst into the ground, courageous jockey Emily Pomfrett will make an incredible race riding comeback.

The Queensland apprentice jockey has now been approved for her race riding license and will ride Mishani Persuasion for colourful owner Mike Crooks and trainer Donna Stanbridge, either at Warwick on Sunday or Gatton on Friday.

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Gatton was where Pomfrett’s life took a terrifying turn in January last year when she was seriously injured when a horse flipped, with the jockey taking seven hours to finally wake from an induced coma.

Throughout the harrowing ordeal of recovery from brain trauma and other serious injuries, Pomfrett had always been focused on one day returning to race riding.

Pomfrett, the mother of young son Laker, rode in the 10 trials required to receive her upgraded riding license which now allows her to ride in races again.

Earlier this week, she was uplifted by the news her riding license had been approved (with conditions) and she can’t wait to get back on the horse on race day.

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“People ask me if I have bad memories from what happened to me that day at Gatton, but I don’t because I have no memory of it at all,” Pomfrett said.

“I was always confident that I was going to get back to this point (of race riding) but it was a matter of when.

“I’ve worked really hard on getting back and I am thankful to some of the smaller trainers who gave me a go riding trials for them.”

Emily Pomfrett is about to return to race riding. Picture: Ben Dorries

Pomfrett’s first ride back will be Mishani Persuasion, a last-start Dalby winner who once raced in the rich Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic where he started as a $201 chance and finished 14th behind Coolangatta in 2022.

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As she readies herself for her return to race riding, Pomfrett said she doesn’t have any butterflies.

“I am happy and well and, despite what happened to me, I’m certainly not nervous or scared or anything like that,” Pomfrett said.

“I am always trying to improve my riding and one day I’d love to be riding winners on the provincial scene or even the metropolitan scene.

“I have to work on my race riding fitness after not riding in the races for so long, but I will continue to improve every day.”

Originally published as Jockey Emily Pomfrett to make miracle riding comeback after scary fall that could have killed her