Fit-again Beadman gets green light

Darren Beadman has been cleared to return to race riding on Wednesday after satisfying stipendiary stewards with his fitness under barrier trial conditions on Friday at Sha Tin.

The trial was a crucial test, as stewards had insisted that not only should Beadman trial, but he must sit down and ride a horse out vigourously in order to be approved for a return to race riding.

Beadman was stood down after having one ride at the January 1 meeting. He complained of having 'no power' in his right leg and was later diagnosed to have a bruised right femoral nerve.

The champion Australian rider took the advice of his retaining trainer John Moore and returned to his home town, Sydney, to seek treatment under a top-class sports injury physician.

The specialist in question, Dr Grace Bryant of South Sydney Sports Medicine, stated the jockey had a 'strained/bruised right femoral nerve in his lower back, a nerve associated with the quadriceps muscle at the front of the thigh.'

She said Beadman's right leg showed 'decreased quadriceps muscle bulk and decreased power of the hip flexors and knee extension.'