SHOWING INITIATIVE FINDS ITS REWARD AS KYLE WILSON-TAYLOR SECURES SIX RIDES ON NZ OAKS DAY

By Graham Potter | Friday, March 15, 2024

Showing initiative and being proactive has earned Kyle Wilson-Taylor a big weekend away from home and an opportunity to put international experience on his riding resume.

Brisbane based Wilson-Taylor will have six rides at Trentham in New Zealand tomorrow ... rides which cover everything from the Group 1 NZ Oaks ... to the Group 2 Wellington Guineas ... to the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes ... to the NZ St Leger and the Sires Prelude ... to a BM65.

“I have built up a relationship with Andrew Scott and I decided to touch base with him,” said Wilson-Taylor, explaining how the opportunity came about.
“There wasn’t a great deal going on in Brisbane, so I thought it might be a good time to contact Andrew. I thought it would be good if I could get some exposure over there and hopefully ride in some big races.
“He said ... yeah, he had a couple on Oaks Day and maybe there were a few more rides available.

“That’s great for me ... and also there is hopefully a positive roll-on effect if Andrew and other New Zealand trainers bring their horses to Queensland for the Carnival. That’s the aim.”

‘So, I now have two rides for Andrew and Lance O’Sullivan and one each for Tony Pike, David Haworth, Mike Moroney and John Wheeler.”

“That’s already a good result for me."

Wilson-Taylor’s ride in the Group 1 NZ Oaks is aboard Cupid’s Arrow ... a $23 chance. He is on the $10 fancy Grail Seeker in the Group 2 Wellington Stakes ... on Reputation ($15) in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes ... on the $6.50 third favourite Orlov in the NZ St Leger ... and aboard Arundel Castle ($7.50) for in the Sires Prelude, the opening race on the card.

His remaining ride is aboard the $9.50 chance Black Betty in the last race of the day.

That’s six rides over the nine races. As Wilson-Taylor says, that’s already a good result and it just shows what can happen for a rider if they take the initiative ... as Wilson-Taylor has done here.

“Sometimes you have to pick up the phone first ... things aren’t going to come to you,” said Wilson-Taylor. “I’m always trying to better myself ... so this is another step in the right direction.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

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