Mick Channon says he is making a good recovery after being injured in a car accident on the M1 in August.
The ex-England footballer turned racehorse trainer suffered broken ribs, a broken arm and a punctured lung and needed an operation to wire his jaw.
"I'm a bit shook up but I'm grand," Channon, 59, told BBC Sport. "I need the injuries to heal but mentally I'm sharp and I'm very well in myself."
Bloodstock agent and friend Tim Corby was killed in the single-vehicle crash.
Channon was not well enough to travel to Longchamp in Paris for Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which the Englishman had last year's runner-up Youmzain running, but he is confident he will be back at work before long.
"I'm not too sure when I'll be out and about again but as soon as I can I'll be getting racing," he said.
"I was hoping to go to the (Doncaster) Sales this week but I'll get divorced if I do that, so my wife tells me.
"We are very competitive in this game and we're all trying to beat each other but the good will that has been around for me and my family has been very touching""It's just time, I've just got to be sensible which is not easy, I can assure you."
Channon was on his way home to Berkshire from a day at Doncaster Sales with Corby and his 15-year-old son, Jack, who was not seriously hurt and is now back at school.
The incident took place on a stretch of the M1 motorway at junction 24, near Kegworth in Leicestershire.
Leicestershire Police said the silver Mercedes all three were in - and which Corby was driving - left the motorway and hit a concrete pillar.
606: DEBATEThe accident closed the southbound carriage motorway, and it was also closed northbound for a time to enable an air ambulance to land.
"We were very lucky, it's just sad we lost Tim," said Channon. "It just shows how close we all are.
"We're all getting on planes and motorways and rushing around in our lives and these things happen. I'm very, very lucky but I'm smashed up a bit.
"I've got to thank everyone in the horse racing world - from the Queen to people in Dubai and Ireland.
"I think the north and south poles are the only places we haven't had letters from but that's the only place we haven't had a runner recently.
"We are very competitive in this game and we're all trying to beat each other but the good will that has been around for me and my family has been very touching and I'd like to thank everybody."
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