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"Bubba" Tilley's heartfelt Roma Cup triumph

22 November 2021

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7765dbd4-541e-4e3c-b8ce-37bd781b8386.jpgBy Jordan Gerrans

It was the honest conversation with a trusted family member that put jockey Les Tilley on his path within the industry.

Growing up in the Downs region of Queensland, both Tilley’s parents were jockeys and engrained in the game for decades.

Naturally, as a young fella in Charleville and the surrounding towns, - a teenage Les hated going to the races and spending all his time around horses and everything else to do with the industry.

He wanted to play other sport with his mates and have a normal job, instead of getting up before the sun rises to work the gallopers and clean out boxes.

The now 27-year-old even started an apprenticeship as a plumber before his late Grandma – Jane Baker - told him to call time on the tools and follow the family name into the gallopers.

The popular hoop was back to where it all began on the weekend, Roma, where he rode his first winner as a jockey, and was quick to recall his beloved Grandma’s influence on his career after she passed away not long ago. 

“My family, we have gone through a pretty rough time the last 12 months losing my Grandma,” Tilley said just minutes after winning his second Roma Cup.

“She was always a massive supporter of my riding; she is the whole reason I became am a jockey.

“I started a plumbing trade and she sat me down one day and said, 'you are not happy being a plumber, we all know you are going to be a jockey, suck it up and go and do it'.

“She was here at Roma when I rode my first ever winner, she was there when I won my first Charleville Cup winner – she was a massive part of my life and in racing.”

As is usually the case when the Brisbane-based rider heads back to the bush, he is a participant alongside his mother Carmel Baker, a trainer these days after riding earlier in her life, and his father Ross Tilley, who at 56 years of age is still going strong in the saddle. 

While he loves getting back to the bush races these days and seeing his parents and extended family, the chances of a career in the saddle were slim at best just over a decade ago.

“Growing up with both my parents as jockeys, we lived in a car basically driving between the races, I was at the races when I was two weeks old,” Tilley, who goes by “Bubba” to his mates, said.

“When I was young, I never got to play sport because I was always at the races.

“When I was 12 years old, I hated racing.

“Dad sat me down one day and as I was walking around at 44kgs at the age of 17, I eventually got into it.”

d45a90b5-3f7c-4265-a275-a3f1ccc3aecb.jpgIt was Tilley’s second Roma Cup triumph at Bassett Park across his career on Saturday afternoon, the Matt Kropp-trained Tears Of Love carrying the big weight as the favourite.

Tilley has developed a strong association with Darling Downs horseman, he delivered him his first of five Roma Cup’s in 2016 on-board gelding Spice Of Life.

While Kropp has gone on to win four more since, Tilley added his second on Saturday and made sure he enjoyed the occasion, giving the bumper crowd a long salute at the winning post as well as when he returned to the saddling enclosure.

“He has been a good little rider for our stable for the last couple of years, he has been super,” Kropp said.

“He is a ripper.

“He does a particularly good job here at Roma, he is good anywhere, but he is good on horses that are hard to ride because he is a strong rider.”

Roma is not exactly “home” for Tilley – Charleville is and is almost three hours down the road – but in that part of the state, that is a comfortable drive for racing participants.

He did ride his first ever winner at Bassett Park some nine years ago while completing his apprenticeship – as a jockey this time and not as a plumber – at St George with top trainer Pat Webster.

“I love Roma, the atmosphere, it is great to get back to reality and where you come from, it makes everything just easier,” Tilley said.

“It feels like home, it was great to get another winner in the Roma Cup.

“To come out here, see my mum and dad, as well as my brother and sister, that is a great feeling.

“It feels like a holiday to get out here.”

 

Tears Of Love RETIRED 2024
Matt Kropp Next Racing
Les Tilley Next Racing