Kyle Wilson-Taylor rides his first Saturday metropolitan winner

Boom Queensland apprentice Kyle Wilson-Taylor was once homeless and says he has had “plenty of knockers along the way” but that was a distant memory as he savoured his first Saturday city winner.

Wilson-Taylor, 21, has been the talk of Queensland racing circles with a breakout season which has produced over a century of winners and he now has metropolitan trainers craving his riding talent and his three-kilogram claim.

Coming from a troubled family background where he was once homeless and had to couch surf at various times, the star young jockey hasn’t had anything handed to him on a silver platter.

The Victorian system once knocked him back but Queensland has welcomed him with open arms and the Toowoomba-based jockey enjoyed a career highlight with the win of two-year-old filly Hinged in the first race at Doomben on Saturday.

“There have been plenty of knockers along the way, don’t worry, but there are also people who have stuck by my side from the word go,” Wilson-Taylor said.

“It’s a credit to them, I’m not here without them.

“With that support, that is how these things happen.

“Hinged was pretty much a sit and steer job, but for sure it was a huge relief to get my first Saturday city winner, I had plenty of nerves coming into a day like this.”

“It was good to get the monkey off the back and hopefully I can keep it going.”

Apprentice Kyle Wilson-Taylor riding his first Saturday metro winner, Hinged. Pic – Grant Peters, Trackside Photography.Source:Supplied

The day which started so well ended on a sour note for Wilson-Taylor as he was slapped with a two-week suspension for over-whipping Roman Aureus which finished runner-up in the final race.

Steward Daniel Aurisch told Wilson-Taylor they had to come down hard as he was a repeat offender.

Regardless, with mentoring from his boss, astute Toowoomba trainer Lindsay Hatch, Wilson-Taylor hopes to be a regular presence riding winners in town next season and beyond.

Already, powerful city trainers are sitting up and taking notice and his three-kilo claim is as valuable as gold-dust.

“I just want to ride as many winners as possible and keep getting great support from great owners and trainers and building on my connections and hopefully I get more success,” Wilson-Taylor said.

Promising apprentice Kyle Wilson-Taylor celebrates his maiden Saturday city winner on the @mgnolan65 trained filly Hinged. @[email protected]/oTuLwbrSjw

It looked like Wilson-Taylor would later secure a riding double when hot favourite Indispensable ($1.70) went for home in the BM85 Handicap (1615m) but he was nailed by Michael Costa-trained Willo Titto ($10).

It continued Gold Coast-based Costa’s red-hot winning strike rate in recent months.

Wilson-Taylor ended up runner-up in the last race on Roman Aureus who endured a tough run from a wide gate.

There was almost another first at Doomben when legendary trainer John Moore went close to securing his first Saturday city winner since returning from Hong Kong.

The Gold Coast-based trainer saddled up $2.15 favourite So Clever who was previously unbeaten and was searching for his third career win in the BM72 Handicap (1200m).

So Clever, who had led at his previous wins, missed the start and produced a big run to finish runner-up behind Luskin Hero who fought on gamely to win.

Moore famously had his glittering training career in Hong Kong ended due to turning 70 years of age in 2020, but he is looking forward to making a serious impact in Queensland racing.

Originally published asBoom apprentice scores breakout Saturday city win

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