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Brian Toomey may not have got the win he craved on his fairytale return to riding but the inspirational jockey was just glad to be back in the saddle at Southwell two years on from a fall at Perth that left him dead for six seconds.

Resuscitated but given only a three per cent chance of survival, Toomey, 26, was last month issued with a licence after he was thrust on to the sidelines following the frightful spill from Solway Dandy on July 4, 2013.

The rider was placed in an induced coma in the high dependency unit of Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, for two weeks, and had surgery to reduce swelling on his brain, including the removal of part of his skull.

He remained in hospital for 157 nights, but recovered to fulfil every criteria needed from the British Horseracing Authority.

Toomey's first ride back saw him get the leg-up on Phil Kirby's 11-year-old Kings Grey in the betbonus.com Claim Your Free Bets Now Novices' Selling Hurdle and all appeared to be going to plan as he led at the second flight.

Jumping well from there, it looked like the odds-on favourite would give the racing world the result it wanted, but he seemed to lose his action and was eased and eventually pulled up before the home straight. The race went to 18-1 outsider Daizy.

Toomey said: "I felt relaxed enough, but the horse just didn't feel 100 per cent.

"It would have been a fairytale to have won, and he looked a good thing on paper, but he just didn't feel right and I couldn't ask him to carry on.

"I've been through the pain barrier and I didn't want him to have to do it. His form over hurdles isn't great and he is a much better chaser.

"I wanted to get today out of the way and get my career back on track.

"I have a point to prove now, I've worked very hard to get here and I wouldn't have got back if it didn't mean the world to me.

"My family have been through hell, they remember when it first happened, but I don't."

Kings Grey was joined at one stage by Oneofapear, ridden by Brian Hughes, who is a close friend of Toomey.

Toomey said: "It would have been nice to have fought out the finish with Brian today, and when he came up alongside me that's what I was thinking about. But then I felt him go slightly wrong.

"Being alive is near enough a fairytale, never mind being back riding.

"I maybe didn't set good fractions today, who knows, but it's all a learning curve."

The Lisa Harrison-trained Solway Dandy himself ran today, finishing second in the opening race at Perth.

Asked about Solway Dandy, Toomey said: "Maybe I might have won on Solway today, who knows, I have no feelings towards the horse, we were just unlucky on the day.

"It's brilliant to be back, but I am glad today is out of the way. Hopefully I will get my career back now.

"The rest of the lads in the weighing room were glad to see me back and I am available now to whoever wants me."

Kirby said of Kings Grey: "I thought he took a lame step on the way back in, but he's trotted up sound in the yard.

"I don't know what's happened, but they are both all right which is the main thing.

"At the end of the day he is an 11-year-old and still a novice hurdler and he's that for a reason.

"I had it in the back of my mind something like that could happen.

"I've got two in a bumper at Uttoxeter this week and Brian will ride one of them."

Toomey's mother Marian and sister Aine were proud, if nervous, onlookers, having travelled from County Limerick in Ireland.

His mother said: "It's been nice spending time with him, just as a family, we haven't done that for years.

"We had a nice breakfast and then the reality began to sink in that he was going to ride again."

Speaking before racing, his sister said: "I walked the track with him yesterday, just so he could gather his thoughts and everything.

"He said as soon as his speech returned that he was going to come back and we didn't think he had a cat in hell's chance, but just went along with it to begin with.

"He's deserved it, he didn't lie down down and fingers crossed he comes back safe.

"We're petrified, but there was no way he'd listen to us, he wasn't for turning.

"We've got mixed emotions, we're delighted for him as he's getting his life back but we're worried at the same time.

"It's been a long road, it's hard to believe it's been two years."

Fellow rider Tom Scudamore spoke of his admiration for Toomey's "extraordinary achievement".

He said: "I was told he wouldn't make it, so getting back riding would have been the least of his worries then.

"He was in hospital for a third of a year, so getting to where he is today is pretty spectacular. Given that, it was inevitable he'd make it back riding. He set himself a target and through his own will and determination he made it.

"All credit to him, of course he's had the support of his family and friends, but it's all down to him - he had to find it in him to do it himself.

"He's been around the weighing rooms for the last six months and the other night he was at Uttoxeter and the lads were ribbing him he'd gone to the wrong course.

"I think that has helped his rehabilitation, he might not have been riding all that time but he never left the family, if you like.

"It's great for racing that he's back, it's an extraordinary achievement."