Jockey Leah Kilner has squeezed her mum’s hand in hospital after she was was critically injured falling from her horse during a race at Grafton on Sunday.

Brisbane-based Kilner, who is just 24, was airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where she underwent brain surgery.

Yesterday, she was brought out of an induced coma for a brief time and squeezed her mum’s hand.

Trainer and good family friend Rob Heathcote, visited the family in hospital today and said she also squeezed his hand.

“Really heartwarming, we know she still has a massive fight ahead of her, a really really long road, we are so buoyed with hope and enthusiasm going forward,” he told Peter Fegan.

He says there is a lot of room for optimism.

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