Injured Shoemark eyes Champions Day comeback before 'dream' Breeders' Cup bid

Kieran Shoemark has hailed the facilities and treatment at Oaksey House, which he hopes can help him return to the saddle by Champions Day at Ascot on October 15 before a maiden trip to the Breeders' Cup.

Shoemark, who broke his collarbone when Time Off suffered a fatal injury at Chepstow on September 8, has been a regular visitor to the rehabilitation centre for jockeys in Lambourn and said: "I'm hoping to be back a few days before Champions Day and it's not painful, just uncomfortable at times.

"I haven't gone through the rest of the Champions Day entries yet, but I plan to be there for one in the handicap.

"I've been in Oaksey almost every day since and the team there have been fantastic. I didn't have to do anything either; they got in touch with me to start the rehabilitation and it went from there. They've been brilliant. I see the physio for about half an hour, then do some cardio in the gym and then some strength and conditioning on the shoulder."

Dreamloper: Shoemark thinks the world of herCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The Flat jockey, whose older brother Conor rode overs jumps, has been seen by Cardiff-based Geoff Graham, renowned as an expert on shoulder and collarbone injuries.

"I went to see the specialist, who said it would be four to six weeks recovery," he added. "I'm lucky to avoid surgery and I have another X-ray on Monday just to see how the bone is healing.

"I knew immediately it was the collarbone – it goes stiff instantly and you slouch on one side and can't lift the other."

Shoemark has ridden 45 winners in Britain this year, but his two biggest victories have come in France thanks to the Ed Walker-trained Dreamloper, a top-level heroine in the Prix d'Ispahan and Moulin.

The 26-year-old, therefore, is grateful she did not feature in the forfeits for Saturday's Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

"I was absolutely relieved – as you can imagine," he said. "I didn't think it was the plan and then it might have been a possibility and now, thankfully, it's off the cards! I'll look forward to her at the Breeders' Cup in the Filly & Mare Turf and it was so important after winning my first Group 1 on Lady Bowthorpe in the Nassau last year to find another one.

"I didn't expect it to come this soon though. I'm delighted with the way the season's gone. Numerically, I'm possibly down on numbers, but the quality is there and ending with a Breeders' Cup winner would be the icing on the cake — we can dream and the dream's alive."

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