The likeable jockey had retired more than two years earlier after struggling to recover from a serious leg break, but opted to return to racing late last month following countless early mornings at Kembla trackwork.

“I thought I am fit enough to go back to race riding and I wanted to go back to it so I decided to,” Grisedale said.

“I am enjoying being back.

“I just have to get my first winner back but once that happens it will be all good. It took me a bit of time to get the weight back down to where I would like it and I have a bit more to go but it’s coming along.

“You can’t beat race fitness there is nothing like it.”

Grisedale returned to the saddle on November 27 with a ride for his wife Donna at Kembla and has had six rides in total.  All bar one of those mounts have been on horses conditioned by Kembla trainers. 

“The support has been really good so far from everyone from everyone around Kembla,” Grisedale said.

At 53 and with 35-years experience already under his belt, Grisedale is one of the elder statesman of the jockey room.

But he still hopes to fight it out with younger riders for years to come.

“If I can get another five or six years out of it I will be happy,” Grisedale said.

“If I am still there competing with the young blokes I would be quite happy to keep going.”

Grisedale will ride Geoff Hall’s Skyway (race two) on Saturday at the Illawarra Turf Club.