Guthmann-Chester branded 'the most underrated jockey in Queensland'

By Jordan Gerrans

A pair of Group 1-winning riders have labelled Gold Coast hoop Jag Guthmann-Chester as the most underrated jockey in the Sunshine State.

Leading Brisbane hoop Ryan Maloney and top jockey-turned-trainer Peter Robl identified the 25-year-old Guthmann-Chester when opinions were canvassed on Tuesday morning at the Deagon trials.

Guthmann-Chester was a popular answer when the question was posed: who is the most underrated jockey in Queensland and why?

Micheal Hellyer also went into bat for Guthmann-Chester.

While Guthmann-Chester has tasted success in the city over the years, he has predominantly ridden at the provincial meeting on a Saturday at Aquis Park.

Maloney and Robl both noted that Guthmann-Chester could be ranked amongst the top six riders at a metropolitan level.

Guthmann-Chester is in the top ten for winners on the provincial scene this season and boasts a strike rate of 26.20 per cent.

He is also ranked in the top 20 for winners across the state in the 2023-24 campaign. 

“He has a ton of natural ability,” Maloney said of Guthmann-Chester. 

“He struggles a little bit with his weight but I am sure if he gets the opportunities he can surely be a top five rider in town.”

After relocating north from Sydney, the Robl stable has been big supporters of Guthmann-Chester in recent times.

Robl has handed the jockey seven of his last 50 rides as of Thursday morning and they last combined for a winner in early February at the Sunshine Coast.

The trainer and jockey will combine again in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap with Thunder Shanghai on Saturday at the Gold Coast.

“Jag rides a lot for me but is probably a bit too casual to be in the top half a dozen jockeys,” Robl said.

“If he gets his work ethic up a bit race riding and he would certainly be up there with the best of them.”

As well as Guthmann-Chester, Anthony Allen was another popular name that was thrown around.

Hellyer and Gold Coast trainer Michael Morrison were both quick to select the 31-year-old Allen.

Allen does not often ride in the city but he has been making the most of his opportunities of late, grabbing a winning double last Saturday before nabbing a midweek winner on Wednesday at Doomben as well.

The first leg of last Saturday’s double was aboard A Deel Of Humour for Morrison.

Allen has enjoyed a prolific last month or so, collecting 12 winners from his last 50 engagements, headlined by a recent Warwick treble. 

“Anthony brought up a double on Saturday, we do not see him riding in town very often,” Morrison said.

“He always gives everything and when you put him on the right horses, he will get the job done.”

Georgina Cartwright, Jake Molloy and lightweight pilot Taylor Marshall were also popular selections.

“He is a very underrated rider and does not get anywhere near the opportunities as he should be,” Samantha Collett said of Marshall.

“He is a champion bloke, as well.”

Kyle Wilson-Taylor – just days after his Group 2 victory across the ditch – alongside fiancé Angela Jones both referred to Cartwright as hard-working.

Claiming apprentice Molloy followed a similar path that Wilson-Taylor did from Toowoomba to the city.

Wilson-Taylor believes that if Molloy was lighter then he would be much more prominent on the city scene.

“He is a good apprentice from Toowoomba and probably doesn’t get the opportunities he deserves,” Wilson-Taylor said.

“He is a really hard-working kid and struggles with his weight.

“Any sort of opportunity he has got in town, he has really capitalised on and really had some good success. I am sure with some good opportunities he could feature heavily.”

Multiple Group 1-winning David Vandyke selected Justin Huxtable as one of the more underrated hoops in the state.