A lengthy 12-month recovery process from three compression fractures in her neck came to an end on Boxing Day when the talented apprentice jockey saluted on a heavy track at Coffs Harbour.

Injury rehabilitation is something Graham has had to become accustomed to after a previous six-month layoff due to a broken wrist was then followed by the serious back injury.

But Graham says it's all part of the job.

"It's probably inevitable that (a fall) is going to happen again at some stage in my career; I just hope that it gives me a few years before I have another serious injury again," she said.

"It's just so hard to get back, but once you get back all you want to do is keep on riding. You don't want anymore setbacks, but if it happens it happens and that's the industry that we're in."

She said she could have only hoped to have success so quickly after putting her racing silks back on again and the key to her return was a love of the sport.

"The first thing I did when I fell was cry about how could I have all that time off because I love racing," she said.

"I love the competitive side of it ... being able to race was purely what got me back."

The 23-year-old is into her fourth year of her apprenticeship, but when you take out the time on the sidelines due to injury rehabilitation she has only saddled up for around half that time.

"They say you ride better when you're a bit older and more mature and maybe I'm just thinking about things a little better too so who knows," she said.

"I've only been an apprentice for four years so to not be riding for so long and already have had two serious falls is pretty uncommon.

"Hopefully this is the last for a while."

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