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Jockey Jason Taylor to continue resurgence in north

8 August 2022

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Leanne Applewaite is hopeful veteran jockey Jason Taylor can continue his North Queensland resurgence aboard Tezoff at Mackay on Tuesday.

The Gold Coast-based Taylor partners the seven-year-old for the third time in the Class 6 Plate over 1560 metres.

Tezoff is one of four rides for Taylor on Tuesday along with Dovi’s Day in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap, Metallic Reign in the Maiden Handicap and Ghosted in the Benchmark 55 Handicap.

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Taylor has been a regular visitor to the Central and North Queensland provincial circuit since April after spending a lot of time watching mid-week racing on television over the past year.

He had a fall in February last year which sidelined for six months and subsequently suffered from a lack of opportunities after making his riding return.

“Jason’s been on him a few times and joked after riding him the first time that he was an old horse for an old man,” Applewaite said.

Tezoff has been up a long time and has placed in seven of his last 11 starts including his latest effort when he finished second to Starsonic in a 1400 metre Benchmark race at Rockhampton on August 1.

Applewaite was hoping Tezoff would gain a start in the Mackay Cup last month but it was not to be.

“We were hoping he’d get into the Mackay Cup but he was first emergency and never got a run,” she said.

Jason Taylor Next Racing

“It was the first time in years that the Mackay Cup never had a scratching.

“He’s only a Class 5 horse but he’s been a good bread and butter horse for us and he always gives everything.

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“I’ve had to race him in Open Company a lot but I managed to find a Benchmark race for him last start when he had 60.5kgs and ran second.

“He drops to 57.5kgs to a Class 6 Plate this time and he won’t know himself with this weight in this grade so he should be hard to beat.”

Applewaite is a hobby trainer from Rockhampton and has only three horses in work.

As well as her stable duties, she is a night fill manager for a North Rockhampton Woolworths store.

She paid $7,500 for Tezoff, who has won five times for her, since being moved on from NSW trainer Stephen Hill.

“He’s a one pacer and will run all day,” Applewaite said.

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