'I'm as fit as I've ever been' - Ben Curtis to return from five-month break

Ben Curtis says he's "100 per cent fit" as he nears a return to race-riding after taking five months out to undergo two important operations.

The Flat jockey, who could return at Wolverhampton on Tuesday to ride for George Boughey, stopped riding in October after 123 winners from 815 rides in 2021 to undergo surgery on a shoulder, then on both feet.

Curtis has been a regular at Jack Berry House in Malton since the operation in December and restarted riding out earlier this week.

He said: "My rehab went very well. They were brilliant and I’ve been there for opening time at 8am for the past five or six weeks. Recently, I got signed off by my two surgeons and I’ve been back riding out since Tuesday.”

Curtis has been renewing old acquaintances since then by riding out for Roger Fell, Karl Burke, Phil Makin, Boughey, Hugo Palmer and was at William Haggas’s on Saturday morning.

“It’s no good just putting your toe in the water. If you’re going to jump in, you may as well jump in with two feet, especially when they feel as good as mine do right now,” said Curtis.

He's happy to be pain free from a shoulder problem he first had at Newcastle in 2020. He dislocated the same joint at the same track last summer.

Ben Curtis: returns after winning on Dandalla at Ayr for Karl Burke last yearCredit: Grossick Racing 07710461723

He added: “I feel 100 per cent and I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. It’s amazing that when you have time to do it, it’s great to be able to focus on your fitness properly.

"Racing these days is all-year round and there’s always some reason not to have time off, whether it’s a particular horse or something coming up. It’s just nice to be able to jump out of bed pain free – I can’t wait for Tuesday.”

Looking ahead, Curtis has a healthy 24 per cent strike-rate for Hugo Palmer and is hoping to maintain that connection when the Newmarket trainer relocates north to Cheshire later this month.

He said: “When the news about Hugo’s move came out I didn’t see it coming like everyone else, but it looks like a good opportunity for him.

"Hopefully, he’ll have a lot more runners up north and I’ve always ridden winners for the stable. We have a good strike-rate together, so hopefully we can keep that going.”

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