Forced into premature retirement, Group 1-winning jockey Fran Berry has been reflecting on a "freak accident" that ultimately cost him his career.
"It's nearly a relief that it's done," Berry stated on Newstalk, "I knew for the last month that my neck was not good at all and the rehab wasn't progressing as we'd like."
"It wasn't really a surprise that the surgeon decided to call it a day regards race riding."
That being said, however, Berry admits it hasn't been entirely straight forward leaving behind almost quarter-of-a-century in the saddle.
"To hear it said though, it really does hit home," Berry explained.
"You're 23-years riding, in that bubble and all of a sudden it's over and I've got to go an work for a living."
It was a horrific fall and to walk away after six or seven ... I've lost count of the amount of spinal fractures I've had, you know? It was a freak occurrence
His recollections of the incident are, he admits, hazy. Yet, certain details remain clear.
"I remember everything, but it would be better if I didn't," Berry explains.
"Time slows down, you feel every kick, everything going on. Just when I thought it was over, you get the oncoming kick from the next horse.
"I was going between two horses on the home bend, normal manouevre with loads of room, and just momentarily the horse on my outside moved in for a split second and my horse I think got a bit intimidated."
"He literally missed his stride and went straight down. I was on the ground before I knew it and it was just one of those freak accidents.
"I brought down my own horse on top of me, and then an oncoming horse got me, that was the one that did the real damage.
"I got a really hard kick into the back of my head. That was the last thing I can remember from the fall.
"It was a horrific fall and to walk away after six or seven ... I've lost count of the amount of spinal fractures I've had, you know, it was just one of those freak occurrences.
Despite his best efforts at recuperation, Fran Berry was ultimately told that he would not return to competitive racing. Speaking with incredible openness about the difficulties surrounding his premature exit from the sport, you can listen to Berry's interview in full here.
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