Martin Harley overcomes broken neck to achieve massive payday and celebrates remarkable recovery

The victory in the 7f Listed contest was a significant achievement, as it was a sales race and the winner stood to gain a massive £916,470. What made this victory even more remarkable was that it happened almost a year after jockey Harley experienced a horrific fall at Doomben, which almost ended his career. Following the fall, Harley had to spend nearly six months on the sidelines due to multiple fractures in his neck. However, he made an incredible recovery and was grateful to enjoy such a notable success on Saturday, after going through such a terrifying ordeal.

After his triumph, Harley expressed his gratitude for the win on Abounding, considering the challenging year he had faced. He revealed that he had broken his neck just four days away from the Magic Millions event the previous year, but he was grateful that someone was watching over him. Reflecting on his career, Harley mentioned that he had decided to stay in this profession because he believed it offered a better quality of life, with less driving and more rewarding prize money compared to other occupations.

In the race itself, Harley demonstrated his skill by coming from a disadvantaged position and making a brilliant comeback on Abounding. He surged ahead near the finish line and ultimately won by a head, triumphing over Sovereign Fund, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, with odds of 6-1.