Trainer Stephen Brown says seeing his son back at the races is the best gift imaginable.
Former jockey Stephen Brown jr, a registered track rider, sustained head injuries along with neck fractures, fractured ribs and a punctured lung in a fall at the Wangaratta trials in September and was in a coma for several weeks.
After six weeks at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Brown was moved to the Epworth Hospital for rehabilitation.
Released from rehabilitation on Thursday, Brown attended the Yarra Valley Cup meeting with his father on Friday.
"This is about the best Christmas present I've ever had," Brown sr told broadcaster racing.com
"We're just so happy that he's out and everything is all right.
"He only came out yesterday so it's a pretty big deal for us."
Brown said the experience he and his wife had gone through was horrendous.
He said his wife was at the hospital every day, sitting with their son while he was in a coma.
"I couldn't really do that. I'd go up for half-an-hour a day and then have to leave so we didn't really see a lot of each other," Brown said.
"But it's all worked out well and the recovery is going good."
Brown jr said he was working hard in rehabilitation although it was going slowly.
"Thanks to all the nurses," he said.