Jockey Damien Oliver (Image: Racing Photos)
Champion rider Damien Oliver has been given the thumbs up by his doctor to take his book of rides at Friday night's pivotal Moir Stakes meeting at The Valley.
Oliver had been in doubt to ride at all this weekend after suffering a badly bruised shin in a barrier incident at Flemington on Wednesday, but his manager Mark van Triet confirmed he was given the go-ahead to ride at The Valley mid-morning on Friday.
The 46-year-old jockey was hopeful the injury to his left shin would not stop him from riding Makybe Diva Stakes winner Grunt in Sunday's Group 1 Underwood Stakes, but he felt confident he would be cleared early enough to ride on Friday after taking a long walk in the morning.
Oliver takes five rides at The Valley, including Spright in the night's feature the G1 Moir Stakes. He is not riding on Saturday at Mornington but returns on Sunday at Caulfield where he has five confirmed mounts including Grunt.