Baylee Nothdurft has joined the stable of twelve-time Group 1 winning trainer Robert Heathcote, taking up a new challenge in a racing career which has already brought notable success.
Nothdurft earned a place of distinction in the Premiership records in Queensland during his successful riding career when he won the 2019/20 season’s Brisbane Jockeys’ Premiership.
An impressive haul of 77.5 metropolitan winners during that season carried Nothdurft into grand company as he famously became the first apprentice to win the title since Michael Rodd (in 2001/2) and Zac Purton (in 2002/3).
From there though, Nothdurft’s career took on stop/ start proportions as he struggled against that perennial arch enemy of most jockeys … the battle with his weight … one which he finally succumbed to earlier this year.
“I was a bit sad for a couple of days, but I just had to suck it up and move on. There’s always someone in a worse predicament than you are and at least I can be involved in the sport and it’s a bit exciting to learn some new roles,” Nothdurft told Racenet.com at the time.
Those new roles initially came via the Steven O’Dea / Matt Hoysted stable, with whom Nothdurft had enjoyed success as a jockey. He was offered a behind the scenes role there which opened the door to a whole new learning experience, particularly as it came at a time when the O’Dea / Hoysted stable was expanding and constantly reaching for new heights.
Just last month Nothdurft travelled with O’Dea to help look after the stable’s Melbourne feature race campaigners, adding another valuable layer to that learning experience.
The wheel turns though and now, after just under a two-year association with Steven O’Dea, Nothdurft is moving on, finding a new home at the powerful Robert Heathcote stable.
“There was just a bit of a difference of opinion at Steve’s stable. That is in the past now,” explained Nothdurft. “I’m very grateful for all of the opportunities and help they have given me along the way.
“When he found out I was looking to make a change, Rob offered me a good deal and he did talk about my possible long-term prospects at the stable … if it all works out … and it was very hard to say no to that.”
“I’ve known Baylee obviously for some time,” said Heathcote, taking up the story. “He’s ridden for me as a jockey and I know Baylee has an unbelievable passion for racing.
“He was a brilliant rider … he got heavy. He is racing savvy. He lives, eats, breathes racing and I have seen his efforts at O’Dea / Hoysted racing so, when somebody suggested to me that he was looking for something new … for whatever reason … I was happy to talk to him.
“It’s going to be slowly, slowly,” said Heathcote. “He is just going to ride trackwork for the first couple of weeks … and go to the races … but my offer to him was more than that, it involved a possible route into training for him within my organisation, but I’ve first got to see what he is capable of in that regard.’
“It’s not going to be handed to Baylee on a plate, but there is a ready-made opportunity there for him, or someone like him, to have a future in my stable.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but I’m very happy to have him on board.”
