Find out at Tamworth Racecourse on Sunday, March 10, when his long-shot five-year-old gelding Retrieval contests the $150,000 Country Championships qualifier (1400 metres).

The race is a bright light amid a gloomy period for the 35-year-old father of four.

"Just riding one, and got too close to the other one and got kicked," he told the Leader.

Left with a rod from knee to ankle, Perrett has struggled with his reduced output while his wife, Lasche, and some mates have helped out: "She's always been hands-on. So it was pretty easy for her to step up.

"I said, 'Find someone to ride him for me.'" He added: "I just go down there and hobble about, keep an eye on things."

The Grafton-born trainer's stables are located at the back of his parents' home at Westdale. His father, Bill, trained racehorses in Inverell.

"When you go from riding all your work, and doing everything yourself, to being on the sideline, it's a bit tougher," the Peel High graduate said.

Compounding Perrett's frustration is his inability to do his work for Luke and Jodi Morgan's Morgan Thoroughbreds.

He's "not a lounge person", he said.

"It's impacted on that too," he said of his work with the Morgans. "Busiest time of the year at the moment."

Perrett's other horse, Epic Ranger, recently "did a tendon", the trainer said, adding: "So, he was my main hope in the race [the Country Championships qualifier], but down to one now."

Retrieval has two wins from 18 starts for more than $71,000 in prize money, but last won two years ago and hasn't placed since that triumph at Hawkesbury (1300m).

"Funny sort of horse," he said of Retrieval. "He works real good, but he's not taking it to the track."

Perrett hopes to be back on a horse in six months. While Jake Pracey-Holmes will ride Retrieval in the feature race.

The horse is the long shot in the 14-horse field: $101 for the win (TAB fixed odds).

"See how I go. It might try and get in there," Perrett said of the qualifier for the $1 million Country Championships final at Randwick.