Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor to grasp chance to ride in historic final Singapore Derby
Young Queensland Group 1-winning rider Kyle Wilson-Taylor is set to be part of racing history in the final running of the Singapore Derby.
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Young Queensland jockey gun Kyle Wilson-Taylor will grasp a golden chance to be part of world racing history when he rides in the last running of the Singapore Derby.
After spreading his wings to ride in New Zealand earlier this year – and crossing the country to ride in the $5m The Quokka in Perth – Wilson-Taylor will jet to Asia for the first time in his life.
Wilson-Taylor’s mentor is retired former champion jockey Robbie Fradd who rode with distinction in Singapore and won the 2006 Singapore Derby.
Fradd insisted it would be good for Wilson-Taylor to ride in Singapore before the curtain comes down on the sport’s 180-year history in the Lion City later this year.
Wilson-Taylor is set to link with trainer Jason Ong and ride Great Warrior, who won in Singapore last weekend, in the prestigious Derby on July 21.
Singapore will be holding it's last ever horse race next year. Land on the tiny city state is precious and authorities want to use the 300 acres to build housing instead. With @SallyBundockBBC, we take a look the Singapore icon's history pic.twitter.com/bQBx7qvCJj
— Katie_Silver 🥑 (@Katie_Silver) June 6, 2023
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“It came about because of Robbie Fradd, who mentors me, and he spent a lot of time in Singapore and he won a Singapore Derby,” Wilson-Taylor said.
“Since going to New Zealand earlier this year and having a little bit of success, I got the travel bug pretty much straight away.
“Robbie said he thought it would be a good idea to go to Singapore if I could get a ride.
“He spoke to a few people and nothing really eventuated. But when I saw Jason Ong’s horse win on the weekend I messaged him straight away and it went from there.”
• ‘World class': Young jockey's drive to become the best
Originating in 1880, the Singapore Derby is the oldest feature race in Singapore.
In a hammer blow to racing participants in Singapore, racing is set to be discontinued from October following a government decision to repurpose the 120 hectares of land in Kranji on which the Singapore Racecourse sits.
Palaisipan gets her Group 1 in The Tatt's Tiara!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 24, 2023
Kyle Wilson-Taylor gets his first Group 1 winner in excellent style, @munceracing won this race as a jockey and now as a trainer!
Congratulations to all connections and new owners in The Yoshida Family in Japan! @netkeibapic.twitter.com/cBFuUWOaH9
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Wilson-Taylor will return to ride in Brisbane this week after being suspended since riding in the Group 1 JJ Atkins on Stradbroke day at Eagle Farm on June 15.
The skilled young rider burst into racing’s Group 1 club last year when scoring an emotion-charged victory on Palaisipan in the 2023 Tatt’s Tiara.
Originally published as Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor to grasp chance to ride in historic final Singapore Derby
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