Bobby El-Issa winning the biggest race of his life

BOBBY El-Issa feels like he has already won the biggest race of all. Anything else is a bonus.

Jockey Bobby El-Issa, who is back riding after a long battle with cancer, and his greatest inspiration, daughter Isabella.

BOBBY El-Issa feels like he has already won the biggest race of all.

Anything else is a bonus.

The former Queensland jockey has beaten the odds of acute myeloid leukaemia and returned from being gravely ill to enjoy an inspiring return to the saddle.

The 38-year-old jockey reckons he was close to being on his death bed at various stages of his health battle, with his weight plummeting to just 35kg.

But he never gave in and was constantly inspired by the love of his six-year-old daughter, Izabella, and his motivation to one day return to race riding.

El-Issa is now in remission and is back doing what he loves best — riding.

And he is in some of the best form of his life, becoming the punter’s pal with 11 wins from 56 rides since he returned to the saddle at Orange last month.

Having ridden a winning treble at Muswellbrook last Sunday, El-Issa returns to his former Brisbane stamping ground on Saturday when he rides Dreams Aplenty for John Zielke in the Sires Produce.

Bobby El-Issa says “I feel like I have already won the biggest race of all.” Picture: Janian McMillan

El-Issa has often been a controversial and colourful character — in 2012 he was forced to work on the tools at construction sites while serving an 18-month riding ban for his ride on Bold Glance.

But he insists the leukaemia fight has forever changed him.

“I am a totally different person these days. I have a new lease on life,’’ El-Issa says.

“I was always a bit of a larrikin, a fun and games type of person, but what I have been through has changed me.

“It is a miracle that I am alive and healthy.

“I have really got no stresses in life, because I feel like I have already won the biggest race of all.

Bobby El-Issa and Isabella. Picture: Supplied

“These days, I just want to be a good father to my beautiful daughter and to ride as well as I possibly can.’’

El-Issa now lives in Sydney with his partner. Away from the track he operates the Knafeh Bakery with his two brothers.

He moved south to be closer to family after winning his health battle, which including having four rounds of debilitating chemotherapy.

Bobby El-Issa says he was constantly inspired by the love of his six-year-old daughter during his cancer battle. Picture: Supplied

El-Issa can’t wait to get to the Brisbane jockeys room and is delighted to be riding for great mate Zielke who has been a big supporter including fundraising after the jockey was diagnosed with leukaemia.

“It will be great to catch up with some mates who I haven’t seen for a few months,’’ he says.

“I think the horse (Dreams Aplenty) is in with a chance. I’ve watched his replays and he is pretty speedy but also pretty green.’’

Originally published as Bobby El-Issa winning the biggest race of his life