The first time Adam Hyeronimus asked Gai Waterhouse to apprentice him the answer was an emphatic “no!”.
It was 2011 and Adam was just beginning the final year of his indentureship to Grafton trainer John Shelton, who fully supported the young jockey’s wish to join a major Sydney stable.
The then twenty year old Hyeronimus thought he’d go straight to the top. He contacted Gai and asked her to consider taking him into the stable. “I’ll never forget the very first conversation,” said Adam over the weekend. “She told me she had Nash Rawiller and Tommy Berry as her race riders and wasn’t short of work riders. She bluntly stated that she didn’t have a spot for me and that was that.”
Queensland born Hyeronimus is nothing if not persistent. He continued to make contact with the leading trainer, assuring her that he wanted to learn under her tutelage. “There’s no doubt I wore her down,” says the jockey.
“She eventually gave up and agreed to arrange for my transfer from Grafton to Randwick.”
The memory of that initial conversation with Gai Waterhouse probably flashed through his mind at some point in the aftermath of his maiden Group 1win on Saturday. The 29 year old jockey exhibited his widely recognized judgement of pace to lead all the way on Shout The Bar in the Vinery Stud Stakes. In doing so he upset the anticipated match race between Funstar and Probabeel.
Adam had been Shout The Bar’s regular pilot from her early days in the stable when the chestnut filly was clearly immature. She was in and out of work several times and was given five barrier trials over a twelve month period. “I couldn’t believe how much she’d grown and developed when she came into work for her current preparation,” said Adam. “I always had the feeling she was going to need ground.” “She should relish the 2400m of the ATC Oaks.”
The jockey had some reservations when the filly lined up for her first start over 1040m at Newcastle on Feb 17th. “I felt 1150m would prove too short, but she surprised by flying the gates and travelling outside the leader to the turn, “said Hyeronimus. “She was very strong late to win by nearly 4 lengths.”
Two weeks later Shout The Bar lined up over the same distance on the Kenso track and needed to be pretty good to win. “Because there were only six runners I elected to ride her back a bit and next thing I’m last and trapped wide,” recalled the jockey. “She was really strong to the line and beat Night Flyer who was impressive in winning at Wyong last Saturday,” said Adam.
Then to Kembla where she stepped up to 1600m in a Gr 3 Fillies Classic. This time she raced forward and trailed the leader Pierro Rose throughout. She looked the winner when clear at the 100m, but Godolphin’s Asiago emerged after a soft run and grabbed her on the line in a tight finish.
To the 2000m of the Gr 1 Vinery, and it’s significant that Asiago finished over 6 lengths behind Shout The Bar. The filly was very happy in front on Saturday, but Adam believes she’ll be better ridden off the speed in the Oaks if circumstances permit. “She wouldn’t know how to pull, and I’d be very happy to travel third or fourth if the speed is genuine,” said the jockey.
“Mind you if we have to lead, she won’t mind one bit.”
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Adam and Shout The Bar upset some star fillies in winning the Vinery Stud Stakes on Saturday.
Adam’s father, former successful jockey Craig Hyeronimus was understandably chuffed with his son’s entry into the Gr 1 ranks. “He’s worked very hard for this and it should be a wonderful kick along for him,” said Hyeronimus Snr. “He’s a vastly improved rider and has developed the knack of getting them to relax on a lovely long rein in these longer races. We talk often on the phone and he’s always anxious to discuss his rides and the reasons he adopted certain tactics.”
Craig and his wife Narelle have lived in Cowra for some years now, taking a keen interest in their local racing club. Craig in fact spent ten years as President of the Cowra Jockey Club and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
It’s not surprising he and Narelle were able to produce a talented jockey. Narelle is a sister to Neil Paine who made his mark as a jockey and is now a full time member of the Waterhouse/Bott team. Another brother Rodney rode many winners before increasing weight forced his retirement, while her father Reg Paine was an eminently successful rider in the Central West. Reg, now 82 and living in Cowra rode 1000 winners in a long and distinguished career.
Craig Hyeronimus was apprenticed to Pat Webster and went on to ride around 400 winners in NSW, Queensland and Macau. His services were often utilised by Brian Mayfield-Smith when Nebo Lodge was at its strongest in the 1980’s.
Mayfield-Smith gave him a number of rides on a useful gelding called Young Blood, and Craig returned the compliment by winning four races on the son of Bogan Road - including a Listed Carrington Stakes, a Listed Winter Hcp and a Gr 3 Missile Stakes.
Craig Hyeronimus based himself on the Sunshine Coast for eight years, winning four local jockeys premierships in that time. Adam was born during this period, as were his siblings Jason and Emma.
Craig clearly remembers the day young Adam announced his desire to become a jockey. “He didn’t show the slightest interest until his mid-teens, when all of a sudden he got a bee in his bonnet about being a jockey,” he said.
Adam got his basic tuition from Cowra trainer Kevin White who was also recognized as a first class riding instructor. He spent the first part of his apprenticeship with Robert and Luke Price at Nowra followed by a short stint with Kevin Moses at Randwick. It was Kevin who found young Hyeronimus a full time position with John Shelton at Grafton.
The thrill of winning his first Group 1 on Saturday, was almost matched by his reaction to a stunning win on the Shelton trained Belflyer in the inaugural Kosciuszko in October 2018. “To win a race like that for John was a special moment,” said Adam. “It’s almost nine years now since we parted company, but we’ve never lost touch. He’s been a great friend and mentor.”
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - It was a massive thrill for Adam to win the inaugural Kosciuszko for his old boss, John Shelton 13/10/2018.
A bizarre twist of fate brought Adam’s career to a shuddering halt in October of last year. The first of his four rides on Everest day was Screen Shot in the TAB Highway for trainer Cody Morgan. After fleetingly looking the winner in the straight Screen Shot was beaten into third place.
Few observers even noticed the horse “knuckle over” after passing the post, giving Adam what looked to be a harmless tumble. The ATC Doctors cleared him to fulfill later commitments, and he actually had three more unplaced rides.
The soreness set in as soon as the adrenaline stopped flowing, and later that evening he was doubled up in agony. Extensive scanning over the weekend revealed a bulging disc which was destined to give him a trying time and put him on the sidelines for three long months.
His manager Drew Smith takes up the story. “When Adam was ready to resume in January he told me he intended to put his head down and make up for lost time. He’s never worked harder and is totally focused. He’s riding comfortably at 55kgs and can make 54kgs with the right notice.”
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Gai and Adam were all smiles after Ecuador's win in the Lord Mayors Cup 07/05/2016.
Hyeronimus proved he was getting tantalisingly close to a Group 1 win with a cracking second on Prince Fawaz in the recent Rosehill Guineas. He produced another well judged front running ride on Prince Fawaz before being run down by Castelvecchio.
The jockey rides work four mornings a week for Waterhouse/Bott and rarely has time to jump on a horse or two for another trainer. He squeezes one in occasionally for Anthony Cummings which obviously led him to the ride on Prince Fawaz. His occasional excursions to the Cummings camp also brought him into the company of Elizabeth Hasler, a young English girl who was working for the stable. Romance soon blossomed and the couple were married in England last year.
When Craig Hyeronimus was riding he was often quizzed about the origins of his surname, and Adam has had to answer the same question many times. Craig confirms the name is traditionally Greek, although the most recent generations of his forebears lived in Belgium.
Adam Hyeronimus reckons his lengthy surname will look pretty good on the Australian Oaks honour roll.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Adam wearing the Darby Racing colours.
(Banner image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Shout The Bar was outstanding in winning on the Kensington track at only her second start)