The last time jockey Jarrod Lorensini was riding, Australia was in the midst of an unprecedented equine influenza crisis.

It's been a decade between drinks for the former South Australian whose return to racing on Friday was capped by victory aboard the Sue Jaensch-trained $17 chance Cheners at Warracknabeal.

"It's just a fairytale come true," Lorensini told broadcaster Racing.com.

"Sue has helped me out in the past and for her to give me a ride and have the confidence in me to be fit enough to have a ride and for it to come off, is just perfect."

Now 38, Lorensini rode more than 450 winners in the early and mid-2000s before stepping away from the saddle in October 2007 to give his body a break.

He began riding trackwork for Darren Weir in 2013 and, when the weight began dropping off, he considered giving race riding another shot.

"We'll just take things as they come but I'm very hungry (to race)," he said.

Lorensini returns to South Australia on Sunday for three rides at Naracoorte.