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By Doug Ryan

The 'King' of riding winners on Wauchope Racetrack and leading Mid North Coast jockey for decades, Peter Graham, will again miss his favourite iconic Woop Woop Cup meeting on Boxing Day.

Specialist’s medical advice on Wednesday revealed more healing was necessary before returning to the saddle.

“It has been 12 months and I am still injured,” Graham said. “The doctor said it would take 12 to 15 months and the urge to get back riding is losing its gloss.

“But I still miss racing but it is no use coming back unless I am competitive. If only I could get a glimmer of hope in being allowed to ride trackwork to see how things fare.”

Graham wrenched his shoulder during trackwork just before last year’s Woop Woop Cup meeting.

His wins on the Wauchope track are etched into history and the former Wauchope 'boy' loves to return to his base where the locals admire his prowess in the saddle. He went within a whisker of riding all winners on a five-race card and regularly shines with his exploits on the track where the locals cheer him on.

Graham was regularly the leading jockey in the Mid North Coast Racing Association and in the last five years he has been a regular traveller to meetings in other racing associations. His best tally was realised in the 2005/6 season with 140 winners.

Graham is now 52 and has an interest in fishing and watching his daughter Cejay Graham, a talented apprentice jockey at the provincials and in the metropolitan area, in action.

He has a fitness program with swimming and light exercises but as his doctors reported, the mending of the tear takes time to heal and can’t be operated on. And he still likes to have a beer or two with friends at race meetings.