By MIKE DILLON
If you need to know something about pain ask Lance O'Sullivan.
The 10-times champion jockey is an expert on it right now because he is pain free for the first time in two and a half years.
On Monday O'Sullivan jumped on a horse's back for the first time since he had the second titanium rod removed from the leg he shattered on Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley in 1997.
That was two months ago and O'Sullivan says the difference in his physical and mental approach is night and day as he makes another comeback.
"This is the first time I've gone through recovery with no pain," said O'Sullivan yesterday, reeling in disbelief that the 37cm-long and 1.2cm wide rod was actually inside his leg when he rode last season.
"The relief on the knee was almost instant, because the rod was so long it almost touched my kneecap."
O'Sullivan talks freely of a different sort of pain, that of knowing he was out on the track on raceday and unable to perform up to his own high standards.
"I was marking time, I couldn't fully put in as a jockey. Always in the back of my mind was that specialists told me I was risking my leg riding with the rod in it."
The pain underpinned everything he did on a horse's back.
"Sitting in the barrier you couldn't concentrate on race riding because you knew the first three strides were going to be agony.
"Now I will be able to go out there and let go."
O'Sullivan is making no promises when his comeback will take place, but he would like it to be at the Taupo meeting on August 23.
His fitness is much more advanced because of the lack of pain.
"I was back in the gym exactly two weeks after the operation and the worst week I've had is five days at the gym. I've worked really hard and I've noticed it a lot in my fitness. I'm walking out of the gym feeling good - like you're supposed to."
Having been there 10 times, how does someone like O'Sullivan motivate himself when he is a multi millionaire.
"Certainly not for the money. There is little money riding here. Look at how much Michael Walker earned for the massive season he had.
"I've got my own personal goals. I've ridden 40-something short of 2000 winners worldwide and I'll be keen to top the 2000 - to a certain extent I'll be riding against myself.
"I'm my own harshest critic and I want to get back to being the best I can be."
He does not rule out accepting another overseas contract if one is offered.
"I wouldn't go back to Hong Kong. We spent 18 months there and I wouldn't try and raise a family there, but somewhere like Singapore, sure I would look at it seriously if it was offered." Singapore racing authorities will accept only jockeys finishing in the top five in their home country's premiership and O'Sullivan just scraped in last season.
O'Sullivan has a huge opinion of Michael Walker.
"He's a gifted rider. He's very clever which is great for racing. Brent Thomson was a bit before my time, but Michael is in my opinion certainly the best to come along since Brent.
"He's lovely to watch. Racing needs heroes and he is a terrific role model."
O'Sullivan has had one or two outside rides offered for the Taupo meeting and brother Paul has a number of runners.
Racing: Life looks better after years of pain
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