DU PLESSIS RETURNS AFTER A MONTH'S BREAK

By Graham Potter | Friday, April 1, 2022

Mark Du Plessis returned to race riding on March 26 at Doomben.

Du Plessis had been out of action since last riding on February 23, using his time out to undergo surgery on a troublesome ankle issue which had been bothering him for some time … and also to undertake a body strength and conditioning program to help his fitness reach and stay at the peak level of performance required from any jockey wanting to compete at the top level of their profession.

Coming back from any break … whether it involved surgery or not … is never an easy task for any jockey in the early stages, even after breaking themselves in by riding work before they head back to the races.

For the most part, whether they are picking up some early winners or not, it does take at least a small amount of time to get up to speed and start building momentum again.

Du Plessis would have to settle for two runner-up finishes before that important first winner back came around. The second places came on the Corey and Kylie Geran trained on Pure Purgatory and then when agonising touched off in the final strides on Barry Baldwin’s Good Bean) but come around it did and second a win followed in quick succession.

The weekend of Saturday April 2 and Sunday April 3 would put Du Plessis’ name firmly back on the winners’ list.

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