TOP APPRENTICES IN DEEP WATER WITH STEWARDS

By Graham Potter | Friday, July 15, 2022

Queensland’s two top apprentices, Kyle Wilson-Taylor and Jaden Lloyd earned the ire of stewards this week who handed both riders heavy suspensions for what they obviously considered to be serious offences.

Jaden Lloyd was first into the steward’s room on Wednesday for a matter related to his ride on Ocean Treaty the previous Saturday.

The relevant extract from the Stewards’ report from the day reads:

‘Stewards opened an inquiry into the riding of Ocean Treaty, ridden by apprentice J Lloyd, over the concluding stages of Race 10 Benchmark 85 Handicap where the horse finished in second position to be beaten a nose for first place. In the presence of master S O’Dea, apprentice J Lloyd pleaded guilty to a charge under AR131(b) in that he failed to ride Ocean Treaty out to the end of the race. In determining penalty Stewards considered J Lloyd’s recent poor record under this rule and were also of the opinion the actions of J Lloyd had cost Ocean Treaty first place. The licence of J Lloyd to ride in races was suspended for a period of 5 weeks to commence midnight 28th July up to and including midnight 1st September 2022.’

Speaking after that outcome was decided, trainer Steven O’Dea, who with training partner Matt Hoysted is Lloyd’s master, gave a frank assessment of Lloyd’s current position.

“It’s obviously unfortunate what happened on Saturday. It was just an error of judgement on his (Lloyd’s) part,” said O’Dea.

“He made the decision after he was suspended at the Sunshine Coast on Caloundra Cup Day to just take that suspension,” continued O’Dea, “and then he’s got a few that he had appealed as well, and he now has withdrawn those appeals.

“He is just going to cop all of those as well as this most recent one. It is just one of those things … all the pressure of chasing the Apprentice Premiership might just have got to him a little bit and he also might have had his confidence dented a little bit in the last few months.

“We had a few chats along the way about it and I was telling him just to think about it day to day and week to week rather than take on everything, but it is hard, and I completely understand that.

“We all should be able to understand that.

“At my age there are times with I struggle to handle my bad runs, so to be his age … when one minute you are called the next best thing and then you get beat on a couple of favourites and get condemned for it … it’s a very hard thing for a young person to handle and get their head around.

“Everybody needs a break and a refresh along the way and, while it hasn’t come around for Jaden in the way he would have liked, I’m sure it is going to do him good and I’m sure he is only to be the better for this.

“He is going away on holiday for a week, which was always planned with the season coming to an end, but he will be back in the stable after that.

“He can’t race-ride obviously for that period, but he will still be riding work and working with the other staff in the stable when he gets back.

“Look he is a good rider … no doubt about that … and, like I said, I think time away from the pressures of racing for a while, will do him the world of good.”

For Lloyd’s great rival Kyle Wilson-Taylor, the outcome of his visit to the steward’s room, also on Wednesday, caused just as much turbulence to his career as it did to that of Lloyd’s.

The relevant extract from the Stewards’ report, regarding Wilson-Taylor reads:

‘Get The Idea – Raced in restricted room and was buffeted when racing in a one wide position to the inside of Capri Of Tuffy for some distance between the 900m and 600m. K Wilson-Taylor, rider of Capri Of Tuffy, was found guilty of a charge of improper riding under AR131(a) in that initially near the 900m and again approaching the 800m he directed his mount in and made heavy contact with Get The Idea which became unbalanced before again between the 800m and 700m he directed his mount in with his right elbow raised when attempting to move Get The Idea towards the rail. This action resulted in both Get The Idea and Capri Of Tuffy to become buffeted and unbalanced. The licence of K Wilson-Taylor to ride in races was suspended for a period of 4 weeks to commence midnight 22nd July up to and including midnight 19th August 2022.’

Wilson-Taylor has confirmed he will appeal his suspension.

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