Freddy Tylicki explains from his hospital bed how his fierce work-ethic has not changed as the paralysed jockey rebuilds shattered life

FREDDY TYLICKI woke up on the morning of October 31 determined as ever to be first past the winning post.

This morning, Tylicki wakes up paralysed but equally determined.

His objectives may have changed after his horror fall at Kempton Park but his fierce work ethic has not.

Tylicki, 30, speaking  from his bed at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South London, insisted: “I’m dealing with it day in and day out.

“I have good days and I have bads days. At the moment I have more bad days than good ones.

“But I’m going to be moved to rehab in the next couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to that, as it will be the next chapter in life.

“I’ve been in this hospital bed over five weeks and I have to say the doctors and nurses could not have been better — but it’s been very intense.

“Going to rehab is something I’m really looking forward to as they are fully specialised and focused on patients like myself.”

Tylicki was riding Nellie Deen in a maiden when his life suddenly changed forever.

Who knows why she fell? Maybe she clipped heels, maybe she stumbled, maybe she was hampered. But at halfway she came crashing down. So did Tylicki.

The rider was airlifted to hospital with injuries that left him in intensive care for more than two weeks — injuries that changed his life. Eighteen broken ribs will heal but a T7 paralysis means Tylicki is paralysed in his lower body.

Tylicki said: “I remember everything. I remember every little detail about the fall.

“But I don’t remember being taken to hospital as the boys tell me I was knocked out. I just woke up in intensive care.

“From very early on I knew there was a big problem. The doctors talked to me very quickly and I obviously had feelings in my upper body but none in my lower. I put two and two together very quickly.

“I also had eight broken ribs on my left and ten on my right, although I couldn’t feel that in intensive care because of all the painkillers.”

Born in Germany, Tylicki was bred to be a jockey as the son of Andrzey, a three time German champion.

Freddy was champion apprentice in 2009, winning a prized Lester Award that year for his efforts.

He started riding in the UK in 2008 and had his best season numerically in 2015, banging in 82 winners.

But it was this year that he really started to get noticed by top owners like Helena Springfield Ltd.

That outfit was the force behind Speedy Boarding, his Group 1 Prix De L’Opera-winning mount at Chantilly in October.

Reflecting on happier times, Tylicki said: “My career was going absolutely fantastic. Looking back at 2016 everything went smoothly.

“I had a lovely winter in Dubai but when I came back things were a little slow to pick up.

“But they eventually did and when you are involved with top horses like Speedy Boarding it makes a big difference.

“Horses like Speedy get you to the big stage as a jockey, which is where you want to be. And if you are able to deliver it’s even better.

“Riding top horses doesn’t really feel any different, I’m just there to do my job and I’d worked very hard to get to the position to ride top horses.

“You have to treat horses the same. I just wanted to do the best I could on the good horses — I’d worked very hard to get that chance.”

Talking horses seems irrelevant now. But Tylicki is in full flow and tells of the one that got away.

He said: “I rode Savoir Vivre in the German Derby earlier in the year.

“To win any Derby would be amazing and, of course, to win an English Derby would be the icing on the cake.

“I never got the chance to ride in that, so when I got a chance to ride in the German Derby it was a big thing. I was born in Germany, lived there for the first 14 years of my life and speak the language fluently.

“It was a big deal to ride in that race, with my father having won it twice, and it was a race I was looking forward to.

“I was beaten a head and although it was fair and square I was in bits after the race. Now look at me.”

A Gofundme page raised more than £330,000 for Tylicki in just over four days after his accident.

It soon became clear that Tylicki was no ordinary rider, no ordinary bloke — and there was much love for him.

Tylicki insisted: “I’m quite surprised. I’m a very laid-back sort of fella and it’s very nice people are thinking of me.

“I have to thank everyone really for all the support they have been giving me. If you think about it, it’s quite hard to believe.”

Several trainers, riders and racing professionals have visited Tylicki in hospital.

But one man Tylicki cannot wait to see is top Italian rider Andrea Atzeni.

He added:  “Andrea is a very, very good friend of mine.

“He’s in Japan at the moment but when he comes back it would be nice to see him again.

“The visitors have helped me out as this wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea!

“Everyone has kept me entertained, including yourself. I can’t get rid of you!

“But seriously, I’ve got a lot of friends and there are a lot of people who care about me.

“I don’t have the biggest of families but my sister and mum have been here for me.

“It’s nice to have close friends. When you are riding, you forget you have these people as you are so busy all the time. The support has been unbelievable.”

Tylicki will have rehab at the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre in  Stanmore.

He revealed: “They will show me how to dress myself, how to make my own bed, how to go swimming, how to drive a car.

“In America there are a lot of things going on and I’ve been Googling away. I’ve been making myself wiser and I’m interested in anything.

“Who knows what will happen as far as possibly allowing me to walk again.

“It’s hard to talk about the future. Even harder for me as I’ve never experienced anything like this. The doctors have been very realistic, though.

“The impact on my spine was very, very hard because of the speed we went. But no one knows.

"I could be feeling something in one month or three months down the road. There’s a lot of bruising in my body that needs to heal.”

A few moments in Tylicki’s company inspires you. He is in a tough place but he is made for tough places.