Adrian Layt has family in mind with Townsville move

By Jordan Gerrans

When making the decision around where he would ride out his twilight years in the saddle, jockey Adrian Layt had just one person in mind.

The father of four loves all of his children equally but as time goes on, there will be one of the quartet who will need greater care and focus.

Layt’s son Liam was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of four.

Now five years of age, Liam will soon be getting around in a wheelchair with the Layt family in the process of making a move to Townsville for the betterment of Liam.

The 48-year-old Adrian hopes the warmer climate might be helpful to Liam’s condition and when he does call time from race riding – he thinks he might have around eight years left in his body – he will to turn his focus to Liam on a full-time basis.

The newcomer to the North Queensland riding ranks goes in search of a feature Mackay Cup on Saturday afternoon but it will always be Liam that is in the back of his mind.

“I thought – if it is proven or not, I am not sure – the warmer weather may be beneficial for Liam,” Layt said on Friday morning not long after Townsville’s official trials.

“He is set to move up later in the year.”

The former NSW-based hoop has made the move to Townsville on his own in the interim, aiming to establish connections within racing as well as setting up the family house, before the rest of the crew make the move up in November.

Layt’s partner Carolina is taking on the lion's share of responsibility with Liam as Adrian sets up their new adventure in NQ.

The condition Liam has causes weakness and wasting of the muscles.

“It is still in the early days but it is starting to progress, I would not say rapidly, but it is noticeable now,” Adrian said of Liam’s condition.

“He is finding it hard to walk very far and his legs are starting to ache so he has a wheelchair from next month.

“He will not be bound to the wheelchair just yet, but eventually he will be, as the condition deteriorates the muscles.

“It is mostly the skeletal muscles deteriorate as they die off.

“It is not a curable disease as of yet, hopefully they can come up with something.”

And, while Carolina is looking after Liam now with Adrian interstate, the veteran hoop is hopeful that in the future he can be there for Liam, all day every day.

The family have holidayed in Townsville on a number of occasions before making the decision and Layt thinks it is the perfect place to settle post-riding.

“I thought the move was the right time for me to still be very active, the lifestyle is great up here,” he said.

“I can then look at retiring from riding when it does come up and focus in on something else down the line.

“I do not think I would train – the thought has crossed my mind and Les Bridge offered me a partnership not long ago – but I think I might look into jockey managing in the future, while also being a full-time carer for my son.”

Layt has been in Townsville for around six weeks – staying with fellow hoop Carl Spry and his family – and has already picked up winners at Cluden Park and Mackay.

He makes the drive to Mackay’s Ooralea track on Saturday afternoon for the 2022 edition of the Mackay Cup, which is raced for $150,000 this year.

He has a solid seven ride book of engagements across the program.

Layt has picked up the ride on former Sydney and Melbourne city winner Rule The World in the 2000-metre Cup.

The Hallowed Crown gelding has earned $353,400 in stakes across his career – from just four victories – but has not tasted success since January 2021.

He has been through four different stables across his career and now finds himself in Townsville with Kerry Donnelly.

Donnelly is only in the infancy of her training career – taking just five gallopers to the races – and still chasing her maiden victory.

“That would be a thrill to give Kerry her fist winner in a Cup race like this – I know the horse from down south when Mack Griffith used to train him,” Layt said.

“He hit the line well in his first start in the north and now he steps up to 2000 metres.

“Hopefully, the track suits him as he will need to get moving from the half mile.”

Layt also has rides in the two juvenile features on the program and likes the look of Tom Button’s Valley Rattler in the Magic Millions Whitsunday Guineas.

“He has run some good races of late,” he said.

“He has drawn a little sticky.”

Layt and his family are set to all officially relocate to Townsville in November.