Eamonn O’Donnabhain, who received a serious fall in a point to point last October, is to make his return to race-riding with a first bumper ride in the Borro Mares Bumper at Wexford this evening.

The 22 year old received a crashing fall from Dunroe Boy in a point to point at Tattersalls Farm on October 27 last year and suffered a serious head injury in the fall.

However the rider, from Ovens, Co Cork, has made a full recovery and is looking forward to today’s opportunity saying “I ride Lordanlane Lady for trainer John Murphy and hopefully she’ll go well and could be thereabouts.”

“After my fall, I spent three weeks in Beaumont Hospital and was eventually moved to Cork University Hospital. I had a bleed on my brain which spread and I realise how serious the fall was and how lucky I am, having seen what can happen.”

“I ‘fell on my feet’ after Christmas when I joined John Murphy’s yard and became head lad. I had been thinking about a change in direction towards the training side since my fall and I was very lucky to be given the opportunity with John.”

“I still love riding but its more for the fun now and I while I’d like to go back point to pointing, I’d like to see how today goes first. I’d like to think that the experience I gain is a step towards training horses eventually.”

Thomas Weekes