“I’ve seen three of the top neurosurgeons in England. I’ve had loads of scans, I’ve had eyesight tests, I’ve had hearing tests, I’ve had loads of balance tests, fitness tests. I’ve had so many tests to do and obviously I wouldn’t have been allowed back if I wasn’t 100%.
“Obviously a lot of people would have been trying to put me off getting back being a jockey, but it’s always been my goal, my passion. I probably annoyed people sometimes because I’m quite competitive. I can’t wait to get back.”
British Horseracing Authority chief medical adviser Dr Jerry Hill said: “In terms of his return to race riding, as has already been emphasised, he was treated in the same way as any returning jockey with a range of assessments tailored to his injury type.
“No jockey is ever safe to fall but the second aspect was; did the neurosurgeons think his risk of further injury was unacceptably high if he were to fall again? They did not.
“The other key learning point for Brian is that to maintain optimum brain function he must keep physically fit, eat correctly and not be tired or dehydrated when he rides. We will remind him of this on a regular basis.”
Toomey estimates he has had 50 falls in eight years. When asked about the prospect of falling again, he simply answered: “I’ll get back up, hopefully.”
Although falling is simply a fact of life in jump racing, Toomey, and his extended family, have been uniquely affected by the sport’s risks and consequences.
