Veteran jockey Dean Yendall marked his return to racing with a dramatic win at Nhill on Sunday, following a five-month layoff due to hip surgery.
Yendall, sidelined since July, showed no signs of rust as he guided Ripper ($4) to a nail-biting victory over favourite Flux ($1.85) in a thrilling photo finish.
Positioned behind the leader for most of the race, Yendall timed his challenge perfectly, clinching his first win since July’s Leilani Series Final at Flemington.
Yendall’s day began with a strong third aboard Murray Factor ($2) and concluded with a second-place finish in the Nhill Cup, where Dothraki ($3.20) was outpaced by Wild Imagination ($2).