Group One winning Australian jockey set for New Zealand move
Queensland-based jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor will relocate to New Zealand in August as he looks to capitalise on opportunities during the country's lucrative spring and summer racing carnivals.
The 26-year-old rider, who secured his maiden Group One victory aboard Palaisipan (So You Think) in the 2023 Tattersall's Tiara, will establish a New Zealand base and spend the coming season riding across the country's major racing centers.
Wilson-Taylor's fiancée, Angela Jones, will accompany him during the move as he settles into his new surroundings. Jones, who is currently sidelined through injury, made history as the first female jockey to claim the Brisbane jockeys' premiership. Jones has also ridden a stakes winner at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, partnering Santa Catalina (NZ) (Puccini) to win the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in addition to Up The Anti (Divine Prophet) on the under-card.
While Wilson-Taylor has previously ridden in New Zealand, this move marks a more significant commitment, with the jockey intending to call the country home for the foreseeable future.
“I will move over in the first week of August,” Wilson-Taylor told Racenet.
“I will be there for the spring and summer carnivals, that is the plan.
“I want to go and ride in some good races and they have a lot of good racing coming up, I feel there is a great opportunity for me there.
“I will be based in Matamata, but I am going to float between there and Cambridge.
“I’ve been going well the last few weeks in Queensland, although winter carnival time is hard for any Queensland jockey given the riders that come up from here down south.
“I am young and I like to travel and ride in different places, anywhere you go and ride you will always come back better.”
The decision has been under consideration for some time, with Wilson-Taylor regularly following New Zealand's major racing carnivals and assessing the opportunities available.
“I watch the carnivals over there and I think I could go well,” he said.
“A couple of weeks ago I thought I would float the idea to a few people and it was a really positive response, that was the thing that really prompted me to do it.”
The Queensland-based rider struck up a friendship with trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott when he rode trackwork for the pair during the 2023 Queensland winter carnival.
He solidified that relationship when winning the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) on Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj), while he was also the pinch-hit rider for Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) when he contested the $5 million Quokka (1200m).
Queensland jockeys have previously made a good impression, with Ben Thompson a good addition to New Zealand’s summer carnival where his highlight victory was Karaka Millions 2YO winner Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca), while he rode seven place-getters on Champions Day at Ellerslie.
