Clinton Taylor's leap of faith paying dividends

By Jordan Gerrans

Trainer Clinton Taylor can vividly recall the days when bill’s would lob at his house and he would scratch his head about how he was going to pay them.

The former jockey and son of fellow trainer Garnett Taylor had worked on a farm for over a decade at Condamine before he was again bitten by the racing bug.

Despite being away from the industry on a permanent basis for some time, Taylor and wife Erin – alongside their children - decided to relocate and dive head first into the deep end and train on full-time at Rockhampton in Central Queensland.

After earning a consistent wage on a farm for 11 years, owning a few gallopers here or there and growing children to look after – the ups and downs of racing can be difficult to adjust to.

The team picked up seven winners across their first two seasons of training, starting with their first winner back in 2018, and there were some tough times in the early stages.

“It was quite difficult, the school fees would come in and we would think 'how are we going to pay these?',” Taylor recalled.

“There comes a time when the racing bug bites you and you decide to get back into it.

“We had a few great old horses that we owned ourselves at the time and whenever we needed some money we would start them and next week the money would be there.

“It has been a tough road. But, things are looking bright now for the future.”

A bright future might be downplaying it a little bit for the Rockhampton horseman.

The Taylor barn punch well above their weight – ranked fourth on the provincial scene in Queensland this season for winners – and they head to this Saturday’s Queensland Jewel Raceday with a live chance in the 3YO event.

Top Echelon Filly Magnetic Drive will carry the Taylor yard’s hopes in the $500,000 event on Saturday after winning a Mackay qualifier late last month.

While it is a thrill for the regional trainer to have a starter on the big stage, it is nothing new as he has prepared eight metropolitan starters already in his short time training – yielding one third-place finisher.

While Magnetic Drive is rated a $51 outsider with the TAB in the 1200-metre feature, it is a stepping stone for the stable towards where they want to be racing into the future.

“This is where we want to be racing over the next five years, racing horses in races like this competitively, so this is a great way to start,” Taylor said.

“We could not be happier with the way the horses are going right now.

“While it is my name in the race book, Erin does just as much as me at the stable and deserves all the credit, as well.”

Taylor's progression as a trainer over the last three campaigns has quickly made him one of the up-and-coming horsemen to watch in the Sunshine State.

In the three campaigns since, he has gone past 20 winners each season – with a career best of 32 in 2020-21 – a number he is likely to surpass this season.

While the Taylor family have since relocated from Condamine – which is out past Chinchilla and Miles – they have not forgotten about their old mates in the bush.

Many of Taylor’s friends from playing footy and cricket as a youngster and their partners are in the grey filly, most of which have descended on South East Queensland for the Jewel.

“They were down having a beer on Thursday night and their wives have bought new dresses for the races, they are enjoying the experience and that is what racing is all about,” he said.

The former apprentice jockey rode around that region in his youngest days when he was based at Roma, before his weight just got too difficult to manage.

He still rides work – 10 of the best on Friday morning at Callaghan Park – before jumping on a plane to be with his emerging filly and have a look around at the 2022 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.

To prepare a filly like Magnetic Drive underlines just how far he has come in a short time in his training journey.

“I have been very lucky to have a great client base now, we have been very active over the last couple of years buying young horses,” Taylor says.

“I have actually got to buy horses I like – including this filly that I picked out myself – and we are starting to reap the rewards."

Magnetic Drive has only been outside of the money once in her nine-start career, including winning her first two.

She took a little while to get going in her second preparation as a race horse but has found her best form ahead of the biggest race of her young life so far.

“The Jewel was not really on our radar but once she qualified then we looked at it,” Taylor said.

“She is a lovely natured filly and she has done a bit of travelling already so it doesn’t impact her at all.

“It is a tough race but she will be finishing off the race well and if she runs top five, I will be over the moon.”

The Rockhampton region of Queensland have been major players at Aquis Park on Jewel day in recent years and those in the racing industry around Callaghan Park think 2022 might just be the same.

Sweet Dolly was the 2YO winner with Ahooshu not far behind last year – both of which are trained in CQ - while Rockhampton flyer Better Rain, who is trained by Tom Smith, will contest the 2YO race this year.

Ahooshu is back for another crack this year, aiming to go one better in the 3YO event.

Taylor has booked leading provincial jockey Justin Stanley to ride his filly on Saturday, the hoop who piloted Sweet Dolly this time last year.