He may have been in Hong Kong for more than three months but Luke Currie feels like he is only just arriving.

After fracturing his back a week into his riding career in the city, the Australian is determined to put in the hard yards as he attempts to reignite relationships with trainers and reacquaint himself with the tight tracks.

“I’m starting again, that’s how I’m looking at it,” Currie said. “I’m better positioned now than I was when I started as I have a little bit more of an idea about how things work and more idea about the people here, but it’s more or less starting again.

“I’ve been back at the track for nearly two weeks so I’ve been trying to catch up with trainers and speak to as many as I can.

“I sent a few texts out while I was off but it’s a bit hard in that I’d only been here a week and I hadn’t really met all the trainers. I still probably haven’t because with our restrictions we can’t get into the trainers’ hut to talk to them, but slowly things will open up and I’ll be able to see a few more people.”

After more than two months on the sidelines, Currie was pleased to be able to return to work recently and has been thrilled by how his body has reacted to the daily strain of riding.

“I was actually surprised as I hadn’t been around a horse for a couple of months and it felt like normal the first time I got back on,” Currie said. “Obviously I was a bit muscle sore for the first couple of days but I’ve been riding work now for almost two weeks and all the soreness has gone. I have no long-lasting effects from the fall, so I’m ready to go.”

Having arrived in Hong Kong at the same time as fellow Australian Daniel Moor, who has already left the city, Currie is honest enough to reveal that a return to his homeland had entered his thoughts while he was in his hospital bed.

“I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind when I first fell and having to stay without my family, but I’m determined to give it a proper go and I’d be disappointed with myself if I left early and didn’t give it every chance,” he said.

“The small part of Hong Kong that I’ve been able to see just around the racecourse and Science Park, I really enjoy it and there are no thoughts of going home now.”

Currie has five rides for five different trainers at Sha Tin on Sunday as he makes his return and is thankful for the opportunities afforded to him.

Currie ‘three to four weeks away’ from return to saddle

“I’m lucky I’ve got a few rides,” Currie said. “It’s nice that those trainers and the connections of the horses have given me an opportunity straight away because I know most people probably want to stand back, see how I have come back and make sure my fitness is still there. But I’ve left no stone unturned to be as good as I can for them first day.”

Currie’s best ride on the card could well be the John Size-trained Beauty Cheers in the Class Five Tung Chung Handicap (1,200m).

The five-year-old has a good draw in stall one and ran well to finish third over this course and distance last time, but Currie is not one for fancy predictions.

“I’m just pleased that I have got a decent number of rides at my first meeting back,” he said. “I’m obviously hoping all five win but I’m just happy to be back riding and I’m determined to make a good go of it now.”