TALENTED young Brisbane jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor has been given the chance for his first Group success in New South Wales, at Newcastle’s The Hunter meeting.
Wilson-Taylor will reunite with The Kosciuszko winner and nominal favorite Far Too Easy in Newcastle Jockey Club’s flagship race, the $1m Group 2 The Hunter (1300m), on Saturday.
Trainer David McColm confirmed the booking on Sunday morning as he prepared to send his $2m plus earner south for another crack at The Hunter after a failed attempt last year when the gelding didn’t even get to line up.
Melbourne ace Craig Williams rode Far Too Easy in The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 19, but is unavailable as he has bookings at Saturday’s Thousand Guineas meeting at Caulfield.
“Kyle is a really good young rider with a bright future,” McColm said.
“He has ridden seven winners for me, and is always prepared to help out whenever I have taken horses to Brisbane to race or trial.
“This is a good opportunity to repay him with The Hunter mount.”
Wilson-Taylor is no stranger to Far Too Easy, having ridden him on three occasions - all at Eagle Farm – for a second and two fourths.
He also partnered the six-year-old gelding in an 1000m Eagle Farm trial victory in early September en route to winning the $2m The Kosciuszko.
Wilson-Taylor rode a winner (Mister Smartee) at his first day of riding at Port Macquarie on July 14, 2018, and clinched his maiden Group 1 success on Palaisipan in the Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June last year.
He has tallied just over 350 career winners to date, and scored on leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan’s Felix The Scat at Doomben on Saturday.
Wilson-Taylor has competed only once previously at Newcastle when he had three unplaced rides in the 2020-21 season.
McColm has been pleased with Far Too Easy’s progress since The Kosciuszko, and will give him his final gallop leading into The Hunter at Murwillumbah on Tuesday morning.
“He will be floated to Lustre Lodge not far from Wyong overnight on Tuesday, and it’s only 45 minutes’ drive back to Newcastle on Saturday,” he said.
“Far Too Easy spent five days recuperating there last year after he had that incident on the walker at Newcastle racecourse the afternoon prior to The Hunter when he sustained a head wound and had to be medicated.
“No one was to blame. Those sorts of things can happen anywhere.
“I feel Far Too Easy is a better horse now than last year, and I’m looking forward to starting him in The Hunter.
“Craig (Williams) can go back on the horse if we go to the Magic Millions carnival at the Gold coast in January.”
Far Too Easy is the early $6 favorite in an early The Hunter market posted by TAB.com.au, with promising young sprinter Briasa and last year’s winner Coal Crusher next at $8.
Tyler Schiller, who rode Coal Crusher last year, has been booked for Team Hawkes’ Briasa, who steps up to stakes grade after winning five of his six starts in restricted class. He has been aboard in three of those victories.
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In another important booking at Saturday’s meeting, thrice Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy goes back on Hawkesbury three-year-old Alabama State in the $250,000 Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m).
McEvoy won a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 12 on the colt at his first ride on him, but Hawkesbury apprentice Zac Wadick had the mount to offset the young horse’s 58.5kg in the $500,000 Four Pillars (1500m) there on November 2.
Alabama State finished an outstanding fourth (beaten less than a length) after drawing near the outside in a capacity field of 20 and having to race wide throughout.
“Alabama State had a hard run, but has picked up nicely,” said his trainer Jack Pilkington.
“Kerrin was very keen to ride him in the Spring Stakes, and the colt is back against his own age.
“This will be his final start this campaign before going for a well-earned break.”
Like Wilson-Taylor, McEvoy also was in winning form on Saturday, clinching the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill on Pericles.
Story John Curtis, November 10, 2024
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