Following a five-month disqualification from racing, Australian jockey Ben Melham is counting down the days until he can get back in the saddle.
Melham was disqualified for illegally betting on races and providing false evidence when getting caught depositing $3000 into his partner's wagering account and turning over some $36,000 worth of bets.
The 17-time Group 1 winner is set to return the saddle for the first time since December 2020 when his ban expires on Monday, May 24, with an eye towards a big spring in a bid to make up for lost time.
“I'm ready to move on and regain some of the faith I've probably lost in the industry,” he said.
Melham's disqualification has excluded him from all activities involved with racing, meaning he has not been allowed to attend race meetings, stables, or training facilities during his five-month ban.
To remain in shape, he has had to rely on daily boxing, swimming, and riding a mechanical horse to keep the competitive juices pumping.
“There won't be a hungrier jockey than me out there come the 24th of May,” Melham said.
The popular jockey admitted the ban took an initial hit on his mental health, as he was reluctant to even watch the races on the television.
“I gave myself a little bit of a rest from it, it was actually good to forget about it for a while. By the same token, I still kept one eye on the bigger and better races,” he said.
Melham has made it clear that he will be riding trackwork each morning of his first week back in the saddle, which signals his intent to come back bigger and better than ever.
The champion jockey even suggested that he will be hitting the road more often than usual to give back to the country racing community.
Melham's return on May 24 could not come at a more perfect time for him, as most of the in-demand jockeys will be using the months of June and July as time to unwind after a gruelling racing season dating back to last August.
Melham will have one eye on the Doomben Cup this week as his long time ally Homesman aims to add the Group 1 feature to his Australian Cup success from earlier in the autumn.