Sunday, 1 July 2012:
Champion jockey Darren Beadman is to return to Sydney to continue his rehabilitation from a serious head injury suffered in a fall at Sha Tin earlier this year.
Hong Kong doctors have told Beadman his recovery could take up to a year or even two but the 46-year-old jockey is hopeful he will be able to ride again.
Beadman fell when a horse collapsed underneath him in a barrier trial in February and he has been left with problems relating to brain function including balance and speech.
"I'm no better and no worse than I was when they did the last MRI, that's the report," Beadman told the South China Morning Post.
"I'll move back to Sydney and continue my rehabilitation there and keep working towards riding again.
"It's obvious now this is going to be a very long process, maybe even a year or two, they said."
A seven-time Sydney premiership winner, Beadman has been stable jockey for John Moore in Hong Kong for the past five seasons helping the trainer to his first premiership in almost 20 years.
Beadman's Australian achievements include Melbourne Cup wins for trainer Bart Cummings on Kingston Rule (1990) and Saintly (1996) and Golden Slipper victories aboard Inspired (1984) and Guineas in 1997.
He also won the Cox Plate on Saintly in 1996 with the Caulfield Cup the only one of the big four races to so far elude him.
