Joe Fanning Back On Wednesday

Joe Fanning Back On Wednesday

Joe Fanning will make his return to the saddle on Wednesday, five weeks after fracturing his collarbone.

One of the north's leading jockeys, Fanning was riding for regular boss Mark Johnston when parting company with Galitello in a two-mile handicap at Ripon in early June.

He was forced to see a specialist after suffering a reoccurrence of an older problem, but is looking forward to getting back into the thick of the action, for his retained stable who have been in scintillating form of late.

Britain's leading trainer Johnston has recorded 26 victories in the last fortnight - from a possible 87 chances, some of which that may have been converted by Fanning, who is fast-approaching 2,500 career successes himself.

Registered in the top 20 most successful British Flat riders of all time, the 48-year-old was forced to miss the royal meeting at Ascot last month, but will be back fit in time for a return to the Berkshire venue for the King George meeting later this month, as well as Glorious Goodwood.

He has 18 victories on the Sussex Downs to his name, which make him the fourth most profitable jockey currently riding in the UK.

Speaking on Sunday, Joe stated he was very much looking forward to his return.

(Credit: Racing Post) He said: "On Friday night I went to the Nuffield at York and they were happy for me to kick on.

"I'm back riding out on Monday and Tuesday, and I'm riding at Catterick on Wednesday."

"It was frustrating and a bad time for it to happen with so much racing on but that's the way it goes. I was flying at the time and it was an unlucky thing.

"But it could have been worse. Mark will have plenty of runners now so there will be plenty of nice horses to look forward to," he finished.

As he mentioned, Fanning had been in superb form at the time of his unfortunate spill, with 73 victories in the calendar year of 2019.

The veteran has ridden a century of winners in each of the last ten seasons, so hopefully he can pick up where he left off.