’There is an unspoken rule’: Kyle Wilson-Taylor will try as hard as ever to beat partner Angela Jones, despite her premiership ambitions

Kyle Wilson-Taylor says he is incredibly proud of his partner Angela Jones, but he will still be trying as hard as ever to beat her in races as the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership goes down to the wire.

Kyle Wilson-Taylor says he is incredibly proud of his partner and fellow jockey Angela Jones, but it’s the “nature of the beast” he will be trying to beat her horses as the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership races goes down to the wire.

Jones, engaged to Wilson-Taylor, goes into the second-last Brisbane metropolitan meeting of the racing season with a one-win lead over great mate and rival jockey Emily Lang in the title race.

It had been a two-win margin but as Racenet has revealed, Lang scored an unexpected win when a horse she finished runner-up to in April was disqualified for a cobalt positive during a stewards’ inquiry on Thursday.

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“There is no-one prouder of Ange than what I am,” Wilson-Taylor said.

“I know how hard it is and she deserves it (the premiership), she is as hard a worker as anyone I know and she is as gifted a rider as anyone I know.

“But the nature of the beast is that I am out there to win, regardless of what the scenario is.

“That’s an unspoken rule, we are both jockeys doing our job.

“She is just another jockey but she is my partner as well, so there is that.

“She rides a lot of Tony Gollan’s horses which are normally hard in the betting market and they are often the horses I want to be following in the race, or they are horses I have got earmarked in a race to try to beat.”

Angela Jones goes into Saturday’s Doomben card holding a one-win lead in the race for the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

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Regardless of the results at the final two metropolitan meetings, history will be made as either Jones or Lang will become the first female rider to score the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership.

While Jones has got plenty of accolades, Wilson-Taylor is also delighted with his own season in which he has ridden 20 more winners than the previous season.

“I am stoked with my season, I am getting some good support from good stables and I have ridden some Stakes winners and more winners than last season,” he said.

“And I am really ironing out the little one percenters that I was getting wrong over the last few seasons.

“As I mature and as I continue to iron those things out, it is only going to build from here.”

Group 1-winner Wilson-Taylor has seven rides at Doomben on Saturday and one in particular is close to his heart.

He re-unites with Kris Lees-trained two-year-old filly Issy’s Star who he won on last month at Coffs Harbour.

"It was probably equally as special as winning a Group 1."

Young Queensland jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor sparked emotional scenes when he paid tribute to his late mate Jesse Riley after winning a race named in his honour. @bendorries76@Racing_QLDhttps://t.co/Hr51KX2M3W

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 24, 2025

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The Jesse Riley 2YO Handicap was named in honour of Wilson-Taylor’s late best mate and it was raced exactly four years to the day since Riley’s unexpected passing.

“It was very special on that day,” Wilson-Taylor said.

“And when Kris wanted me to ride her again at Doomben this Saturday, obviously I was very keen.

“She won well when I rode her and then she went to Canterbury and performed really well.

Kyle Wilson-Taylor scores an emotional win on Issy’s Star at Coffs Harbour, in honour of his late mate Jesse Riley. Picture: Trackside Photography

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“She has got plenty of upside as she did everything on that day at Coffs Harbour on raw ability.

“She is still a small, fine filly so once she fills into her frame she is going to be a really nice horse.”

Issy’s Star is rated a $7.50 chance in the opening race at Doomben on Saturday, the QTIS 2YO Handicap (1110m).

Originally published as ’There is an unspoken rule’: Kyle Wilson-Taylor will try as hard as ever to beat partner Angela Jones, despite her premiership ambitions