Legendary reinsman Brian Gath is set to make his return to the track this Sunday afternoon at Maryborough.
The 80-year-old suffered a broken leg in three places after slipping over during a frosty Melbourne morning walk on June 22.
The “Little Master” had a plate and screws inserted into his leg and has made a full recovery ahead of Sunday’s comeback appearance in the sulky.
“Yes, I am going to drive,” Gath said.“The recovery has been good. I drove at the trials the other night and I got around pretty good and didn’t run into any trouble.”
The reinsman, who has spent almost 65 years in harness racing, had a hard time watching on.
“I did miss it,” he said. “I don’t like driving like I used to at every meeting, but I still love to drive my horses every once in a while.”
Gath will partner Billy Zippin, who is trained by son Matthew, in the first heat of the E L Titan Victoria Trotters Derby on Sunday.
“He is a lovely little trotter and I was hoping to strike a little bit of an easier heat, but we have struck a few of the outstanding ones,” he said.
“He will go around and be very respectable.”
The winner of the 2022 Gordon Rothacker Medal is taking a modest approach to Sunday’s return.
“If I get around safely, I will be right,” he said. “I am looking forward to it and it is going to be a great day’s racing at Maryborough.
“The Redwood is one of the races I haven’t won.”
The first heat of the E L Titan Victoria Trotters Derby is set to go at 3.09pm on Sunday, with the Group 1 final the following weekend, October 27.
