Vincent Ho’s rehabilitation from serious injuries sustained in a Sha Tin race fall moved a step forward with the news out of Switzerland that specialists at the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre have given him the green light to get back on a horse.
The Hong Kong jockey has not ridden since the fall on February 9 left him with a brain bleed and brain contusion among other injuries.
With the Swiss medical facility’s assessment being positive, Ho must now wait for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to consider the assessment of its own medical team before giving him the all-clear to resume track work riding. The outcome of that assessment is expected to come within days.
Ho’s managed Instagram account vincentho.official revealed the news in an upbeat message: “After months of hard work in rehab, I got some great news today from my Switzerland sports doctors that said I’m ready to get back on the horse!”
He thanked the medical teams at the Jockey Club and the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre, as well as his neurosurgeons, sports doctors, physios, therapists, sports psychologists, neuropsychologists and racing fans.
The jockey recently spoke to Idol Horse about the role Hong Kong’s great champion Golden Sixty has had in helping his rehab. Ho has visited the retired gelding multiple times since he was given the ok to fly in early May, and has rebuilt his confidence by getting in the paddock and lunging the horse he rode to 10 Group 1 wins.
Ho said then of his assessment in Switzerland: “If things go well, hopefully I can be back on the horses doing trackwork, getting used to it, feeling comfortable being back on a horse galloping, and then I might do some trials until I’m physically and mentally well enough to race.
“You can’t force or rush anything and you can’t risk anything with the brain. I need to make sure it’s 100 per cent.” ∎
