THE PERENNIAL CHALLENGE FOR JOCKEYS HIGHLIGHTED AGAIN AS NOTHDURFT OPTS FOR A 'TIME OUT'

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Just a couple of years ago, two young apprentices, both out of Toowoomba, were starting to make their mark on the racing scene in Queensland.

As Baylee Nothdurft and Nick Keal’s careers progressed along together they became highly capable, very competitive and, to a degree, combative riders … often keeping the stewards busy.

But the bottom line was clear. They could ride!

But then there came a time when their respective careers began to follow vastly different paths.

Nothdurft, already successful when attached to the Lindsay Hatch stable in Toowoomba, transferred to the yard of Tony Gollan, Brisbane’s leading trainer, at Eagle Farm. That move presented a huge opportunity, but also the steep learning curve of competing regularly against some quality, seasoned jockeys on horses that you were expected to do well on.

The record books show that Nothdurft not only survived that test, but flourished to the degree that he ended up claiming the rare honour of taking out both the Brisbane Apprentice Jockeys Premiership and the Open Brisbane Jockeys Premiership for the 2019/20 season … joining the likes of Zac Purton and Michael Rodd, who were the last to achieve that distinction back in the very early 2000’s.

Keal, in the meantime, had been being doing well enough in his own right. A month and a half into the 2019/20 season, he was equal second on the State’s Jockey Premiership and was positioned in fourth place in the Brisbane Metropolitan Jockeys Premiership … but his career was about to stall.

In mid-September 2019, Keal announced, “I will have a short break from riding when I hope to get my weight right,” … and things were never quite the same again for the young rider. He did come back and rode some winners but was often riding under sufferance due to his wasting regime and that situation was never really going to have a future.

So, it was no real surprise when Keal pulled up stumps after his ride on the Chis Waller trained Gresham on June 20, 2020. That was his last ride.

Interestingly enough, Keal had won on Gresham a month earlier which proved to be his last winner.

Now, some five months later, the words in Keal’s original announcement are being echoed by Nothdurft.

“I’m going to have a break (from riding),” said Nothdurft. “Then I will give myself time to get my weight right.”

Sound familiar.

Of course, a large part of a jockey’s career comes down to his or her commitment to their chosen profession … but there are times where circumstances beyond their absolute control will dictate that even a two hundred percent focus will not be enough to offset the mental and physical stress that pounds their bodies to a degree which will save their careers.

Keal no longer has any connection with the racing industry as a direct result of that on-going battle.

“It was too hard to keep going and I’m out of the game all together at the moment, said Keal.

“I was trying to keep my weight under control, but people don’t realise it is also expensive to keep under control … just going to the gym all of the time. Also having a personal trainer working with me to try and help me out. He was good, but, when you are not riding … you can’t keep paying.

“Physically it is always a battle. Even when you take a break, you think you are doing alright and then, when you try to get back, it is just so difficult,” concluded Keal.

The outcome for one rider doesn’t mean the same result will apply to anybody else. It is, after-all, an individual sport … but the consistent bottom in this argument is that, while everybody wishes Nothdurft well in his rest, recovery and rebound mission … and certainly the hope is that he will return better than ever … the challenge he faces is a very real one.

It will be very interesting to see how he comes out of it at the other end.

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