KYLE WILSON-TAYLOR: NOW IT'S SINGAPORE - TAKE TWO!

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Singapore – Take two.

That will be the play-sheet for jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor this Saturday with the young rider having picked up a very good ride on the Tim Fitzsimmons trained Golden Monkey in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth 11 Cup at Kranji.

Earlier this year Wilson-Taylor was ready to make the trip to Singapore when securing a ride in the Singapore Derby, but that trip never got off the ground when his mount Great Warrior did not accept for the big race.

“That was a disappointment. I was looking forward to it,” admitted Wilson-Taylor. “I had put my name out there which led to me getting the offer originally to ride Great Warrior and, I think, I got this call-up because I had put my name out there and showed I was prepared to travel to Singapore.”

Wilson-Taylor will take over the reins on Golden Monkey from Chad Schofield, who rode the horse in its last two starts.

“With Chad staying in Sydney on Saturday, it opened the door, and they gave me a call and asked me if I’d be interested in riding him.

“I’ve got another ride on the day for Dan Meagher over the same distance. Not sure if that race is before the big one yet. I hope so, because that would help me with Saturday being my first rides at the track.

“Robbie Fradd is a big help with his advice. He has ridden in Singapore ... he spent a few years there, so that all helps.

‘Golden Monkey is a good horse. Hopefully he can get a kind draw ... and he should be in the thick of things.”

Golden Monkey is already a Group 1 winner having taken out the 2023 Singapore Derby and the six-year-old son of Star Turn has maintained a high quality, consistent level of performance since his Derby win, never fishing out of the first four in his twelve subsequent starts, results which includes a further two wins and four runner-up finishes.

In his last two starts ... both in Group 1 company ... Golden Monkey finished second, 1.80 lengths behind Lim’s Kosciuszko in the Lion City Cup, and third, 1.40 lengths behind Lim’s Saltoro, in the Raffle’s Cup.

With both of those ‘Lim’s’ horses being superstars of Singapore racing, it merely underlines the strong presence Golden Monkey is likely to bring to the race on Saturday.

It is all part of a busy schedule for Wilson-Taylor.
“I leave for Singapore on Friday. I’m there Saturday. I come back. I possibly ride at the Sunny Coast on Sunday ... and then I’ve got trials in Sydney on Monday,” said Wilson-Taylor.

“I was down there the other day trailing Punch Lane ... and he is trialling there again with a few others of the Freedman horses.”

Wilson-Taylor and Punch Line are unbeaten in two starts as a combination with their most recent success coming the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast in mid-July and the team will obviously look to keep that winning sequence going.

But there is that bit of Group 1 business in Singapore for Wilson-Taylor to take care of first.

In his only previous experience of riding at an international meeting, Wilson-Taylor came away with a Group 2 win aboard Grail Dancer in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas in New Zealand.

That was a great result in itself ... but a Group 1 win in Singapore!

Now that would be something to savour.

More articles