Tyzone hoop can’t weight
ROCKHAMPTON BASED apprentice Elyce Smith is excited about the prospect of jumping on board north Queensland star Tyzone tomorrow afternoon.
The Roy Chillemi-trained gelding has been lumped with a huge 62kg for his first-up run at Cannon Park, with connections opting to go with Smith instead of regular rider Stephen Wilson for some weight relief.
Smith – who is apprenticed to her father Fred Smith and claims 3kg – answered the call from Chillemi to take the ride, as well as three others across the day, on Tuesday’s sevenrace card.
“It is exciting and a great opportunity to ride a horse like Tyzone and get up to Cairns,” Smith said. “He has won a lot of good races and hopefully he can do it first up this week.
“I am looking forward to getting up to Cairns for the first time and riding with and against a few different jockeys than what we usually have around Rockhampton.”
Chillemi said the gelding would need tomorrow’s run, and maybe one more, before starting in Brisbane in the middle of next month.
“It is exciting to have Tyzone back,” Chillemi said.
“He is going good but he will need this run really bad as he has been out for six months.
“He will need a run for fitness and for us to have a look at him; there will be lots of improvement there.”
It still remains to be seen if Tyzone will have his first-up run at Cannon Park, with Chillemi flagging the possibility of scratching the star gelding if rain continues in the lead-in to tomorrow’s races.
Meanwhile, Far North jockey Ngarie Nelson’s apprenticeship has been extended until February 15, Racing Queensland announced on Friday afternoon.
Elsewhere, Tablelands hoop Wanderson D’Avila went within a whisker of riding a winner on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon.
Riding Auchentoman for trainer Gary Moore in the last event of the day, the in-form Brazilian pushed his mount from barrier 10 but was beaten on the line by race favourite Diamonds Are.
D’Avila took five rides at the Gold Coast on Saturday, with Auchentoman the only one to figure in the finish.