Top rider to make Ipswich return
STAR jockey Baylee Nothdurft will make a low-key return to race riding from his latest sabbatical to address weight issues with two rides at Ipswich on Wednesday.
The Brisbane premiership winning hoop has been sidelined for the past month while recharging his batteries and getting his body right in time for the Gold Coast Magic Millions carnival next month.
Nothdurft is blessed with undoubtable talent but unfortunately weight issues have been a constant battle for the young gun in recent times.
He was hospitalised last November due to dehydration while attempting to maintain his weight and spent several months out of the saddle before returning in March.
After Melbourne Cup day last month on November 2, Nothdurft elected to take another shorter break from riding however is now ready to return to the races at the midweeks.
He will have his first race ride in over a month when he partners Flybridge in the Great Northern Class 1 Plate (1690m) for Eagle Farm trainer Barry Lockwood.
“Baylee rode him in a 1000m jump out at Eagle Farm the other day and has rode him in his gallops, so he knows the horse,” Lockwood said.
“He is a very good rider, it’s just a shame he is so heavy but if he can keep his weight down to around the 57kg mark I am sure there will be plenty of rides for him.”
Flybridge was last seen at the races just a couple of days before Nothdurft took his break from race riding.
The five-year-old gelding followed up a first up second at Ipswich over 1200m on October 15 with a sixth in a Class 3 event over the same trip at Eagle Farm on October 30.
Lockwood has had to wait patiently to unleash Flybridge since his latest run.
“The horse is fine, we’ve just been plagued by all the weather here,” he said.
“He was probably ready to run a month or so ago but we had to scratch with him a couple of times with the way the weather turned out.
“He has had a couple of tieback operations, that’s why there has been a long break between preparations but he’s all good.”
Nothdurft will be able to ease into things with Flybridge set to carry the equal top weight of 59kg.
Meanwhile, the jockey will also partner the Matthew Dunn-trained Harlequin Field in the Schweppes Class 2 Handicap (1350m).
Harlequin Field will be going in search of back-toback wins after saluting at Grafton last start.