IT was a run-of-the-mill handicap chase, run in the wind and rain at Hexham on Wednesday afternoon, but Henry Brooke was absolutely delighted to be back in the winner's enclosure, especially at this track.

The 25-year-old was placed in an induced coma after suffering a heavy fall from Old Storm at the Northumberland venue on October 8 and also being kicked by another horse when he hit the ground.

Racing was delayed for almost two hours while he was treated by on-course medical staff before he could be airlifted to Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle.

Despite also suffering nine broken ribs and a punctured lung, Brooke made remarkably quick progress and, having made his comeback in a bumper at Catterick a week ago, he came so close to a dream first winner back when Jimmy Moffatt's Highland Lodge was beaten just a short head when defending his crown in last Saturday's Becher Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree.

However, it seemed appropriate it should be at Hexham that he returned to winning ways as the Moffatt-trained 9-1 shot Munsaab profited from Grange Hall's final-fence blunder and got up on the line to score by a head.

Brooke said: "I'm delighted to be back riding winners and all I want to do is get stronger and better.

"I'm hoping this will be the end of all the press coverage, to be honest. I've had some unbelievable support, which I really appreciate, but I just want to get back to normal.

"I suppose in a way it's nice to do it at Hexham, but I would rather have done it at Aintree on Saturday! It's nice to ride my first winner back for Jimmy after that.

"I'm only going to get fitter and stronger. I watched the finish back today and I looked a bit untidy.

"I don't want to be remembered as the jockey who had that fall at Hexham.

"I'm more determined than I've ever been."

The Hexham medical staff received chocolates from Brooke before he took up his one and only ride of the day.

The all-weather is keeping the show on the road for the Flat trainers and jockeys and Michael Dods reached a landmark on Tuesday as Dream Team gave the handler his maiden half-century of winners.

The winner was ridden by Paul Mulrennan, who has also enjoyed a fine 2016 and afterwards the winning rider said: "That's the first time Michael has trained 50 winners in a year in Britain, so it's a landmark season for the yard."

Another couple of days racing at Cheltenham, starting this afternoon on ground that will be as good as we've seen for this time of the year with the lack of rain around.

Grade One-winning hurdler One Track Mind could make his second start over fences this afternoon in the novices' chase.

Although the six-year-old also holds an entry at Doncaster today, trainer Warren Greatrex is favouring the extended three-mile-one-furlong event at Prestbury Park as his next target.

One Track Mind trailed home last in a Grade Two at Newbury on his chasing bow after making a serious mistake at the first fence.

Greatrex said: "At the moment he is going to Cheltenham on Friday. He made a mistake at the first at Newbury and Gavin (Sheehan) did the right thing by letting him come back in his own time.

"I wouldn't have taken him to Newbury for a Grade Two if I didn't think his jumping was up to it. He does have it in his armoury to do these quite unexpected things as he also ran out at Chepstow once, but when he is good he is very good.

"We'll step him up in trip, which will help him. He is a high-class horse and will get weight off a few of the others. He is a Grade One winner and I know he can jump. We schooled him at the end of last week and he jumped for fun."