A light mouthed horse can be a nuisance on a trail ride, let alone in a high pressure thoroughbred race. The first challenge for the rider of a “bit shy” galloper comes the moment the gates open. As a horse takes that first huge leap out of the machine and gravity tends to throw the rider back into the saddle, contact with the animal’s mouth is hard to avoid.
La Jolie Fille has resented this distraction throughout her twelve start career. In winning her maiden at Wyong in June of last year she began awkwardly, but a lucky rails run enabled her to upset the odds on favourite Pitchfork. In her following preparation she completely “bombed” the start in a race at Wyong and virtually took no part. As jockeys learned to keep off her mouth at barrier rise, La Jolie Fille’s manners gradually improved.
Jess Taylor got her away cleanly in two runs at Muswellbrook and Scone in January to register a fourth and a second, but was unable to ride her in a Class 1 at Quirindi a few weeks later. Mikayla Weir substituted and got on famously with the touchy filly to record a comfortable win. Mikayla retained the ride in a Championship Qualifier at Hawkesbury on March 6th, to finish fourth less than a length from the winner Gemmahra.
Paul Perry’s offer of six rides at Port Macquarie on Saturday enticed Mikayla to the mid north coast meeting. Two winners and three placings made it a very worthwhile exercise. Her decision paved the way for Jess to regain the ride on La Jolie Fille in the Polytrack Provincial Championship Qualifier at Kembla Grange.
Originally scheduled for March 20th, the race was transferred to Goulburn the following Tuesday when Kembla fell foul of the big wet. The Goulburn meeting was called off before the running of the all important Qualifier, and the race had to be held over until last weekend when it returned to its original venue.
“Apart from being touchy in the mouth at the start of her races, this filly could also get quite nervy in the gates,” said Jess. “At Kembla on Saturday she was surprisingly relaxed, leaving me free to concentrate on keeping off her mouth. I literally had hold of the rein buckle with one hand, and a handful of mane with the other. She jumped away perfectly.”
Taylor’s instructions were to go forward from her wide gate, but it took the filly a while to muster speed. For a few strides on the first turn it appeared Jess was going to squeeze into the one out one back spot, but she couldn’t quite clear Safado - one of the seven Kris Lees runners in the race. La Jolie Fille travelled three wide just outside the heels of Tampering to the turn, before striking the front soon after straightening up.
“I probably hit the front a shade early and she just switched off for a few strides,” said the jockey. “She really knuckled down when she heard the challengers and felt very strong on the line. There’s no doubt this mare has improved a lot since I last rode her almost three months ago. Don’t forget she was one of only two three year olds in the race on Saturday. Given a decent barrier she’s a live chance in the big Final.”
Jess is delighted to retain the ride on La Jolie Fille in the Provincial Championship Final on April 17, 2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
A win by La Jolie Fille at Randwick would provide yet another fairy tale result for the unpredictable ranks of the cheaper yearlings. Paul Perry clearly recalls the day his son Nathan found her at the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale. “She was actually passed in, but Nathan was able to negotiate a sale for $10,000,” said Paul. “Saturday’s win took her earnings to $157,000 and you’d be surprised if she doesn’t improve on that. Nathan got himself in the good books when he presented the filly to his wife Christie who can’t wait for the big race at Randwick.
“I had actually trained her dam Lolavie who was no superstar but consistent enough to win six races, most of them at Newcastle. La Jolie Fille was just a plain, neat filly with no conformation faults. The only problem we’ve ever had was this tendency to throw her head coming out of the barrier. Thankfully she’s overcome that trait with the right kind of riding.”
Paul Perry and Jess Taylor bookended the five Championship Qualifiers, winning the initial heat with Pandano at Newcastle on Feb 27th, and the last with La Jolie Fille on Saturday.
Jess was all smiles after the Kembla win and strapper Camille shared her elation - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Just seven months ago Jess Taylor was involved in a freakish accident at home when her pleasure horse, the former racehorse Tsunami Alert threw her against a rigid fence post. She was rushed to the ICU Unit at Liverpool Hospital where eminent orthopaedic surgeon Dr. David Duckworth diagnosed transverse process fractures to three vertebrae, a slight liver laceration and a partial collapse of one lung. Happily no surgery was required, and Jess put her mind to making the fastest possible recovery.
Family and friends were stunned when she returned to the saddle in five weeks. Just a few weeks into her comeback, the talented jockey finished fifth, beaten less than two lengths on Looks Like Elvis in the Gr 1 Epsom Hcp - her fourth ride at the elite level. The previous three were despised outsiders. Le Juge started at $200.00 in the 2019 Epsom, Girls Are Ready at $31.00 in the 2019 Flight Stakes and Cambage at $101.00 in the 2018 Australian Oaks. None of them had a bolter’s chance, but the young jockey was thrilled beyond description to ride in those historic races.
A product of the NSW Central Coast, Jess began riding trackwork at Gosford soon after leaving school in 2008. She was fortunate to gain an apprenticeship with veteran horseman Albert Stapleford, an astute trainer and old world gentleman. Jess was to spend the first two and a half years of her apprenticeship with Stapleford. According to the records kept by her partner Katie Power, Jess had a total of 229 rides for her boss which yielded twenty one wins and fifty six placings.
In 2013 the young jockey transferred her indentures to Warwick Farm trainer Mark De Montfort who offered her the opportunity after watching her ride two winners at a Dubbo meeting. De Montfort, a thirteen time Gr 1 winning jockey rode regular trackwork alongside Jess over the next two and a half years. To this day he offers consultation when he thinks it’s warranted.
Mark wasn’t the only Warwick Farm trainer to appreciate the talents of the Central Coast rider. Gary Portelli, Marc Conners and Jason Coyle regularly sought her services. It was Coyle who provided Jess’s first stakes winner Slightly Sweet in the listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill in 2017. Jess has fond memories of other favourites like Forbidden Jewel (her first city winner), Better Not Blue, Burden Of Proof, Caccini, Mandylion, More Energy, Lofiel, Weekend Affair and Girls Are Ready.
Slightly Sweet was the mare to give Jess her first stakes win 2017. Slightly Sweet (tartan colours) scrambles home to beat Man Of His Word and Elle Lou in the listed Winter Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Jess and partner Katie lived on the Southern Highlands for several years but opted for a move back to the Central Coast just a few months ago. The move was initiated principally to give children Evelyn (2yrs) and one year old Noah easier access to family members.
“With my main clientele based south of Sydney, the relocation means more travelling for me,” said Jess. “I ride work at Wyong one day a week and Warwick Farm two days. “I like to attend Kembla Grange jump outs for my wonderful supporter Theresa Bateup. I try to make myself available wherever Theresa chooses to run her horses. If I need to overnight in Sydney, Winona Costin or Kathy O’Hara are happy to help me out.”
Jess was thrilled to be confirmed on Monday morning as La Jolie Fille’s rider in the $500,000 Polytrack Provincial Championship Final at Royal Randwick on April 17th. After failing to ride a single winner at Randwick during her entire apprenticeship, she was beginning to think she’d never break her duck on the historic course.
“That all changed on New Year’s Day 2017 when Jason Coyle put me on Takewing in a 1200m race,” said Jess. “I scrambled home in a tight finish from Rachel King’s mount Napoleon. Twelve days later Jason let me ride Kawaikini in a fillies and mares race, and up I bobbed again. I was able to keep my composure throughout the race, even though I knew the stable had supported her heavily.”
Jess was beginning to think she'd never ride a winner at Randwick when she got home on the Jason Coyle trained Takewing early in 2018 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Easily the biggest asset Jess has as a professional jockey, is her ability to ride at a featherweight. She can manage 50kgs any day of the week, and in the unlikely event of a 48kgs ride being offered somewhere, she’d only need three or four days notice.
Perhaps the best qualified assessor of Jess’s talents is good friend and former boss Mark De Montfort. “She ticks all the boxes,” says Mark. “She has a good tactical brain, is an excellent judge of pace and most importantly can read a race in running. She’s also as strong as most blokes when it comes to a desperate finish.”
Despite some lengthy injury enforced breaks, Jess has been able to ride 400 winners in ten years years of race riding. A win in a $500,000 feature on Day 2 of The Championships would go a long way towards adding momentum to an already healthy strike rate.
Jess and her great supporter Theresa Bateup after a Sapphire Coast win with Jarrett - 09/06/2019 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Jess was the only jockey to win two qualifiers - Pandano at Newcastle and La Jolie Fille (above) at Kembla - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)