Gai Waterhouse can rule out Queensland jockey Jim Byrne as a possible replacement rider for her star two-year-old Horizons in next month's $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.Byrne has been sidelined following hip surgery since mid-November and doesn't envisage making his comeback in time."It's unlikely I'll be back until February," Byrne said."Ideally, I would like to be back by the end of January but the Magic Millions is too soon."Byrne was forced last month to have corrective

Gai Waterhouse can rule out Queensland jockey Jim Byrne as a possible replacement rider for her star two-year-old Horizons in next month's $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

Byrne has been sidelined following hip surgery since mid-November and doesn't envisage making his comeback in time.

"It's unlikely I'll be back until February," Byrne said.

"Ideally, I would like to be back by the end of January but the Magic Millions is too soon."

Byrne was forced last month to have corrective surgery on his pelvis which he badly smashed in a race fall two years ago.

"I've had a lot of trouble with my pelvis," Byrne said.

"I started getting spurs and they've been giving me a lot of pain for a year.

"Most jockeys ride through pain but mine kept getting worse. It gets worse whenever I sit low on a horse."

Byrne expected to be sidelined for only six weeks but underestimated the extent of surgery required.

"The doctors had to cut the top of my femur off and they had to insert two big screws which meant I've ended up on crutches," he said.

"I've got about 15 years of riding to go and if I didn't get it done now my career would have been cut short."

Waterhouse is on the lookout for a jockey to ride Horizons, who will go straight into the 1200-metre feature on January 10 without another run following a recent injury setback.

Horizons missed five days work last week after she injured soft tissue in her knee following a barrier trial win at Rosehill eight days ago.

Waterhouse's main stable riders Nash Rawiller and Blake Shinn are both sidelined and Byrne was mentioned by the champion Sydney trainer as a possible replacement on Horizons following jockey Chris Munce's decision not to apply for a licence to ride in Queensland.

Queensland Racing Limited subsequently ruled that Munce would be banned from riding in Queensland until his disqualification by the Hong Kong Jockey Club expires in September.

"There's some wonderful jockeys in Queensland and many times I've aligned myself with them," Waterhouse said.

"They understand the course (Gold Coast) completely."

Byrne has ridden many times for Waterhouse whenever she comes north and was successful aboard She's Meaner in the Listed Tommy Smith Slipper (1200m) at Doomben in March.

However, Byrne was only warming the saddle for Rawiller, who finished second on the Falvelon filly behind Augusta Proud in the Magic Millions Classic at her next appearance.