Tyler Leslight eager for provincial racing move to test his skills

Country apprentice champion and transgender jockey Tyler Leslight is eager to challenge himself on the SEQ racing circuit after some overly impressive bush performances.

Apprentice Tyler Leslight. Picture: Daryl Wright

Following a standout 2022/23 season, title-holding country apprentice jockey Tyler Leslight is ready to test his skills at the provincial level.

Leslight first made headlines in 2022 when openly speaking on his gender transition and life as a transgender jockey.

Now the 23-year-old has been crowned the leading junior rider for the country apprentice ranks and finished only two wins off the top senior country jockey for the 2022/23 season.

He said he was proud of his efforts.

“It was one of my goals from the start of the season and I was leading from the start so I was pretty comfortable but I knew I had to maintain that position,” he said.

“I worked out towards the end that if I rode a winner a week, as long as none of the other apprentices rode the card somewhere, I would be OK.

“There were definitely a few close moments with Amy (Graham) and Brooke (Johnson) but I busted my guts trying to win it as I remember riding at Mount Isa on a Saturday before driving 1400km to Springsure to ride on the Sunday.”

Apprentice Tyler Leslight with his Master, Trainer Bevan "Billy" Johnson. Photo : Daryl Wright.

Leslight’s boss Bevan “Billy” Johnson also took out the country trainers title with 48 wins and 86 placings from 284 starts.

Leslight said he hoped to score a move to South East Queensland.

“I do hope winning the premiership can help me find somebody to go on loan with,” he said.

“A nice three month stint from November to January would be great, especially because racing in the country really dries up around that time.

“I’ll go anywhere, as long as it’s somewhere I’ll get a fair go and I would love to be a bit closer to my family on the Gold Coast.”

Apprentice Tyler Leslight. Picture: Daryl Wright

He said he believed he could drop further in weight and would excel on the various all weather tracks.

“I can get rides at Cairns now with a Country license so I want to try and do something that I can’t do out here and I personally think I would be able to ride the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast poly tracks really well,” he said.

“It’s almost like riding a sand track which I’m pretty good at so I’d love to have a go down there.

“I’m riding at 54kg comfortably at the moment, I think I could get away with riding at 53 or even 52, I just haven't had the need to at the moment.”

PAST THE POST

The Sunshine Coast Turf Club has announced a new race series in conjunction with TAB for their Friday Night Racing Season.

The TAB 100’s and 1000’s race series will feature seven $100,000, 1000m races scheduled across seven Friday night meetings.

The races will vary in class and be programmed closer to each race date to take into account other races being run during that period.

There will also be a Trainer Bonus for the series with the leading trainer winning a trip for two to the Melbourne Cup based on the points system of seven points for first place, four points for second and two points for third.

In addition to the 100’s and 1000’s series there will also be a $2,000 prize for the leading trainer at the end of the Friday Night Racing Season.

Turf Club CEO John Miller said: “It’s been pretty evident as a club that we’re committed to night racing and over the last few years we’ve tried to develop a more consistent night racing season.

“Now the focus is on how can we improve the quality on those Friday nights as the way we market it is different to our Sunday meetings and it’s a different experience for people.

“Just having those seven races gives those seven nights a real point of difference that can hopefully attract some good fields and give punters something to tune in or come along to,” he said.

“Hopefully this series gains momentum and really works this year so we can expand it in future years.”

The series dates are as follows:

1. Friday 29 September – Class 1 Plate (set weights)

2. Friday 27 October – Open Handicap

3. Friday 15 December (Race TBC)

4. Friday 19 January (Race TBC)

5. Friday 2 February (Race TBC)

6. Friday 16 February (Race TBC)

7. Friday 1 March (Race TBC)

Originally published as Tyler Leslight eager for provincial racing move to test his skills