Freddie Tylicki back to winning ways (From Gazette & Herald)

Freddie Tylicki back to winning ways

2:48pm Wednesday 10th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

He’s back, and he’s hot. Freddie Tylicki, last year’s champion apprentice, is wasting no time in pushing his career forward, following a winter stint in the United States.

The Ryedale jockey, full of praise for the benefits gained from his 10 weeks working at Santa Anita racecourse in California, last week chalked up his first win of 2010. Furthermore, he has already started his drive on “getting myself around” by riding early-morning work in Malton, Retford and Newmarket.

“It’s an important year and I can’t wait for the turf season to get started,” said Tylicki, as he cast his eyes forward to next month after recording a Southwell triumph last week aboard Young Gladiator for in-form Norton trainer Julie Camacho.

“That was my third ride since I came back from America, and it’s nice to get a winner on the board so quickly,” he added.

Tylicki, who was attached to Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank yard last year when he beat David Probert in the race to clinch the apprentices’ championship with a giant score of 71 winners, will continue to be closely involved with the Malton trainer and has been riding out at the yard since he returned.

He has, however, also paid a visit to Retford trainer Jeremy Glover, who is keen to put him up on horses, while last Friday, he rode out for veteran trainer Clive Brittain at Newmarket.

“It’s just a question of getting myself around a bit and putting in plenty of hard work before the season gets underway,” said Tylicki as he prepares for his first campaign as a fully-fledged jockey, and without the benefit of an apprentices’ allowance.

Based in California with Paddy Gallagher, the German-born rider enjoyed the time of his life. “I went over there open minded, hoping to learn plenty, and I feel that I did.

“Obviously, the whole thing is different in America – work riding is done against the clock and when jockeys talk about horses they refer to times they have done as much as anything else.

“I rode track work every day and had one ride in a race on a horse, who finished third. The whole trip was a great experience. I made some good contacts and met a lot of very interesting people, including (the now retired) Laffit Pincay, a Hall of Fame jockey, and a legend of American racing.”

Tylicki feels in the right frame of mind to meet the challenge of the year ahead at full tilt. “I’ve had good preparation, my weight is good and I just want to crack on now,” he added.

• Barry McHugh, who turned down the offer of a job to ride in Dubai this winter, has had no regrets.

The Malton apprentice, whose 2009 campaign was highlighted by a major handicap success at York on Knot In Wood and a notable double in Scotland when he won the Ayr Bronze and Silver Cups on Ballodair and Kaldoun Kingdom, is enjoying a purple period on the all-weather.

McHugh has ridden ten winners since the turn of the year, from no less than 35 rides, with half of those successes coming last week, courtesy of two doubles and a single strike.

The 5lb claimer scored on Castle Myth and My Mate Mal at the same Southwell meeting for Brian Ellison and followed up for the Norton trainer at the same course later in the week aboard Restless Genius, a victory which triggered a second double.

Journeying on to Wolverhampton’s evening fixture, McHugh followed up on Shandelight for Julie Camacho, who also teamed up successfully with the apprentice back at Southwell on Sunday with newcomer Solstice.

McHugh can hardly believe the start he’s made to the year. “It couldn’t be going better. I am getting some good rides and a lot of support and to have ten winners ridden by this stage is just unbelievable,” he said.

McHugh had thought long and hard about accepting a winter job in Dubai and had been due to start in December. But one of the conditions of the position was that he remained in Dubai until early-April, which he felt, would compromise his prospects in Britain this season.

Ellison, incidentally, also has his jumpers in fine form, a fact underlined by events at Musselburgh last Sunday when Ultimate finished second in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle, Dontpaytheferryman finished third in the Scottish County Hurdle and John Forbes won the claiming chase.

The latter is, for a very good reason, a horse close to his trainer’s heart. “I named him after my father, so he had to be good,” said Brian. “That’s 12 races he’s won for us now, five on the Flat, five over hurdles and two over fences. He’s been a superstar.”

• Ryedale’s big Grand National hope, Character Building remains firmly on course for his all important Aintree date on April 10 after returning to active service for the first time this season at Doncaster last Saturday.

The John Quinn-trained gelding had a pipe-opener in a handicap hurdle and, although never managing to get near the leaders, completed the course under Dougie Costello in 13th place.

“I was pleased with him; it was just nice to get him back on a racecourse,” said Quinn, who will switch Character Building back to the major obstacles later this month.

“He’s in the Blue Square Gold Cup at Haydock and the Racing Post Chase at Kempton,” added the Highfield trainer.

• Lease Lend produced a notable weight-carrying performance at Catterick last Friday when defying 11st 12lb in the featured handicap chase.

Given a great ride by Richard McGrath, who produced him to lead at the final fence, after bringing him from well off the pace, the gelding delighted his trainer, Tim Easterby.

“He was very good,” he said. “We put a tongue-strap on which probably helped him and he did well under all that weight.”

Mick Easterby was on the mark 24 hours later at Wetherby when scoring with Fridaythorpe, whose short-head success in the bumper enabled York chairman Nicholas Wrigley to see his colours carried successfully.

Ryedale trainers continue to do well on the all-weather. Paul Midgley took his January tally to five winners at Southwell last week, thanks to Charging Indian, while Declan Carroll took his score to three on the same course on Sunday, with All Guns Firing, the mount of David Nolan.

At the same meeting, Trans Sonic scored for trainer James Hetherton in the hands of Brazilian-born jockey Francisco Da Silva, who was scoring his first British victory on the gelding, who carries the colours of Rye-dale owners Dave and Lynne Lumley.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)