Kyle Wilson-Taylor thrilled to win aboard Odinson for Ciaron Maher at Ozzie Kheir at Doomben

Riding a winner for top trainer Ciaron Maher and prominent owner Ozzie Kheir was a big thrill for Kyle Wilson-Taylor, refreshed after a snowboarding holiday in his home state.

Kyle Wilson-Taylor rides Odinson (left) to victory at Doomben for trainer Ciaron Maher and owner Ozzie Kheir. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Group 1-winning jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor returned fresh and rejuvenated from a snowboarding holiday and didn’t waste any time repaying the faith of prominent owner Ozzie Kheir.

Wilson-Taylor took time away from riding recently to head back to his former Victorian home state where he and his fiancee, fellow Brisbane jockey Angela Jones, enjoyed some time in the snow as well as visiting family.

On his Victorian sojourn, Wilson-Taylor also rode at Seymour and then came back to Queensland via NSW where he trialled Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Punch Lane in a trial heat won by Giga Kick at Randwick last Friday.

The Freedmans were impressed by Wilson-Taylor during the Queensland winter carnival and the young jockey is winning praise from some big names in racing.

On Saturday at Doomben, he rode Ciaron Maher-trained and Kheir-owned sprinter Odinson ($3.90) to score the $125,000 QTIS 3YO Plate (1200m).

Kheir has won most of Australia’s biggest races and riding a winner for his prominent ownership group, and for Maher, is another feather in Wilson-Taylor’s cap.

Scratched from the San Domenico in Sydney and Odinson was too good for his opposition at Doomben with KWT in the saddle 💥@cmaherracing | @RaceQLDpic.twitter.com/zPL59M60qm

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 31, 2024

“I love riding for connections like this, they don’t have slow horses so that makes my job a bit easier,” Wilson-Taylor quipped.

“You are filled with great confidence when you are riding horses for Ciaron Maher.

“I have only had a couple of rides for him but it’s great to get a winner for him and in the colours of a very prominent ownership group.

“We had the inside draw and we were riding the form horse.

“The favourite (Moulin Miss) was always going to have to do a bit of work from that gate and that’s how it planned out.

“The leader (Kahlisee) wobbled out and we got up on the fence and we were too good.”

Queenslander Wilson-Taylor originally hails from the Victorian town of Wallan where he couch surfed between homes for a time when he was a youngster.

The jockey, who roared into racing’s Group 1 club when winning last year’s Tatt’s Tiara on Palaisipan, took his partner Jones for a look around the town on their recent trip.

Is #TheKosciuszko on the cards for Compelling Truth? He has to be considered after that smart all-the-way win at Doomben. Nice ride from in-form apprentice Bailey Wheeler. pic.twitter.com/jthuxUYQsX

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 31, 2024

The couple enjoyed their time away and Wilson-Taylor, who has a determined laser focus on his riding, said it was good to get away for a while.

The benefits are showing.

“Ange and I went to the snow and it was a really good freshen-up and we enjoyed seeing some family and some friends who mean a lot to me,” Wilson-Taylor said.

“I feel like I am in a really good head space at the moment.”

Meanwhile, Mudgee-trained speedster Compelling Truth enhanced his case for a spot in The Kosciuszko in Sydney in October by scoring at Doomben on Saturday.

Compelling Truth led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Colts and Geldings No Metro Wins Handicap (1200m) as the $2.70 favourite.

Originally published as Kyle Wilson-Taylor thrilled to win aboard Odinson for Ciaron Maher at Ozzie Kheir at Doomben