Ty wheeling back into the winners' enclosure

By Jordan Gerrans

With a daughter at home and another baby on the way, Ty Wheeler needs some certainty in his life when it comes to his day job.

After cycling through a handful of employment opportunities over the last few years, the former apprentice jockey ended up back where he started – in the saddle on race day.

The 24-year-old stepped away from the sport in July of 2022 after a fall at Doomben resulted in a serious ankle injury.

In the weeks before the fall, the young rider's career had begun to gain some momentum at the provincial level after piloting winners at Beaudesert and Toowoomba.

After making his return in late July of this year, Wheeler capped his comeback by picking up his first winner back at Nanango on Saturday afternoon.

The win came aboard outsider in the market Prince Of Diamonds for local trainer Kaye Hill in a Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1200 metres.

The hoop and Prince Of Diamonds found the fence from barrier two and they were not headed after they turned for home.

“Hopefully I can get back to the provincial level of riding soon enough,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler has 31 winners to his name after debuting back in 2020.

He welcomed his daughter Rue into the world in April of last year and has a second baby on the way with his partner in February of next year.

Rue has been a proud supporter of her father’s riding pursuits at the races in recent weeks.

“I have my hands full,” Wheeler said with a laugh when referencing his expanding household and riding commitments.

Wheeler previously worked for the Barry Lockwood stable in Brisbane and is now under the guidance of Darling Downs trainer John Thomas at Clifford Park.

Respected city trainer Lockwood spoke positively about Wheeler in his short time at his barn before the young rider stepped away following the fall.

As the ankle injury restricted Wheeler’s movements early on, he spent time working at a call centre to pay the bills.

He followed that up with employment in an array of roles including truck driving, tow truck driving, food truck driving in Brisbane, running a portable dog wash company and car detailing.

“Honestly, the reason I came back to riding was because I did not find any enjoyment with any other job I tried,” Wheeler said.

“I don’t get the same fulfilment out of other things or the job satisfaction.

“There is that adrenaline as well, that keeps me going. Otherwise, it is just dull.”

The comeback jockey heads to Dalby and Northern Downs Jockey Club on Monday for two rides.

He has been booked to partner Measured for his boss Thomas and Paul Edwards’ Our Spider in the Ratings Band 0 - 55 Handicap over 1400 metres.

“He has got a good group of horses in at the moment and he seems to pick the quality,” Wheeler said of his master Thomas’ stable.

“He has seven or eight horses at a time and he usually has quality instead of quantity.”