Chasing Glory: The Road to Stradbroke Season | Andrew Mallyon

By Dylan Mutu

It was a trip to war-torn Ukraine last year that not only helped shape the way Andrew Mallyon views the world but also gave him a renewed outlook on life and riding.

Currently in career-best form, Mallyon credits his aid trip to the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, with helping him find a healthier balance between family and racing – a shift that’s clearly paid off.

With fresh management and support from good mate and fellow jockey Craig Williams, the 1200 plus career-winning jockey says he’s never been more prepared – mentally or physically – for a Group 1 breakthrough this Queensland Racing Carnival.

“I go back a long-time riding in Victoria with Craig, he was a bit of a mentor to me as an apprentice – it would nearly be 20 years," Mallyon said.

“I mentioned to Craig at the time that I’d be interested to go over and do some good if the opportunity ever arose, as I studied pre-hospital trauma care throughout my riding.

“Last year, that opportunity arose where I was able to go over and help and even though it was terribly distressing, I’d like to think it gave me an entire new perspective on things alongside being able to bounce some ideas off Craig on how to improve next season.”

And improve he has.

Since arriving in Queensland in 2019, Mallyon had typically hovered around the mid-20s in metro winners each season – until now.

The 36-year-old is on track to break the 50-win mark and finish top three in the jockey standings, obliterating his personal best season.

Asked what’s changed, Mallyon points to mindset as the biggest difference.

“I think for me, it was just keeping a lot more level-headed,” Mallyon said.

“Especially as an athlete, you're either winning or you're losing – you want to be able to keep that even mindset, where even a bad day in the whole grand scheme of things isn’t so bad.

“You might be in a bit of a rut with form or things like that, but I certainly don't let that get me down as much as what it used to and I think just going over there (Ukraine) and truly experiencing it firsthand  kept me a lot more level.
 
 “I think if you can keep that positive outlook, you can turn that form around a lot quicker.”

Jockey life isn’t for the faint-hearted, and Mallyon embodies the ‘have saddle, will travel’ mentality better than most.

One recent day started with 3:30am trackwork on the Gold Coast, followed by 7:30am trials in Brisbane, then a dash down to Ballina for a full book of rides – a gruelling schedule that’s become second nature.

Having cut his teeth in Victoria where such days were standard, Mallyon takes it in his stride, driven by doing right by his family.

“That’s probably your busier mornings – thankfully they’re not always like that – but you have to put in the hard yards to hopefully gain a payday at the end of the day,” Mallyon said.

“I’m fairly used to it, having been based in Victoria where that's part and parcel of the job as you've kind of got to be in more than one place at the one time.

“But also, you've got three mouths to feed at home and you want to be able to give them the best of everything, so there's definitely that motivation there.

“But I don't think they really care how you go, they’re just happy to see you at the end of the day.”

A devoted family man, Mallyon wasn’t satisfied with the work-life balance he had in Victoria and began searching for a change.

Queensland quickly became the front-runner, with his sister Katelyn and her partner, champion jockey James McDonald, playing key roles in connecting him with trainer Kris Lees to start fresh in the Sunshine State.

The chance to ride under a lighter schedule, enjoy a warmer climate and spend more time with kids Archie, Finn and Violet made the decision a no-brainer for Mallyon and wife Sally.

“I just didn't get that balance between home life and riding,” Mallyon said.

“I was based with trainers that were all over the state who raced their horses in different districts, which was fine, up until my kids came along.

“It was actually my sister who was the catalyst. She and her partner James introduced me to Kris Lees, and after a five-minute phone call, I was on my way up here – and I haven’t looked back.”

Over the years, Mallyon has struck up strong partnerships with some quality horses – none more notable than a few he teamed up with last summer.

Leading the charge was a smart mare named Bubba’s Bay, who notched two feature victories via the Listed Magic Millions Nudgee Stakes and Keith Noud Quality, both with Mallyon in the saddle.

He believes she deserves her crack at some bigger races this winter.

"There's not much of her, but she’s very tenacious – she’s like a little bulldog," Mallyon said.

"She's always up on the speed trying her guts out. She was able to win a couple of Stakes races over the summer, and I think she deserves her opportunity to win a decent race over the winter."

A couple of other horses who flew the flag during the warmer months were the Billy Healy-trained Cosmic Fire and Matthew Dunn’s Torque To Be Sure – another pair Mallyon has high hopes for this Queensland Racing Carnival.

"Cosmic Fire is definitely one I'm excited to ride throughout the carnival," Mallyon said.

"He was really well placed when he won the Sunlight Consolation, and he’s just a horse that we gradually raised the bar with, and he kept stepping up.

"There’s also another two-year-old called Torque To Be Sure, who had a couple of starts over the summer and performed really well.

"He’s still a bit green, but I’m excited about where he could get to, and I think he could figure well in our two-year-old races up here."

Now fifth in the Queensland Metropolitan Premiership standings, Mallyon’s form is unquestionable – now it’s just about the calibre of horses he gets the chance to ride this winter.

Whether the horses he’s been aboard lately are up to Group 1 standard remains to be seen, but Mallyon is focused on doing the little things well and keeping his weight down in case the opportunity arises.
 
 “What I’m concentrated on is being able to ride light, keeping my weight down, and making sure that if that opportunity does land in my lap, I take it with both hands,” Mallyon said.

“To bag a Group 1 would just be the cherry on top when I eventually decide to hang the boots up.

“I’ve come close a few times, and I think when you’re that stoked to go close, you get a real taste for what it would feel like to finally knock one over.”

Mallyon has a healthy book of rides as we kick off Stradbroke Season this Saturday, highlighted by Veight in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 for Tony and Calvin McEvoy and Matthew Dunn's Torque To Be Sure in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic.

For more information about the Queensland Racing Carnival head to www.qldracingcarnival.com.au