Andrew Thornton planning riding return after knee injury

Veteran jockey Andrew Thornton is hoping for an imminent return to action after eight months on the sidelines.

Thornton has been out of action since Boxing Day, when he injured his knee in a freak incident after riding his 1,000th winner.

Thornton dismounted from Kentford Myth but twisted his knee and needed surgery to reconstruct his anterior cruciate ligament.

"I see the vet next week, he's going to check me out and just make sure everything is as it should be," Thornton told At The Races.

"Hopefully I'll probably be back riding at the end of the month and we'll just see how it goes.

"There's a spring in my step!"