'As good as you'll get' - the apprentice tipped for stardom after first winner

A young jockey who often got the better of star apprentice Harry Davies in their pony racing days has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of his rival after notching his first winner under rules at Lingfield last week.

Taylor Fisher, 17, was recently poached by Archie Watson to join his powerful stable, even before he got off the mark at the 34th attempt on the Ismail Mohammed-trained Gliding Bay in a 1m4f handicap on Saturday night.

On the pony circuit in 2019, Fisher had Davies back in third when winning the RaceTech Racecourse Series Leading Rider award when racking up 12 wins and a host of placed efforts.

The Devon-born jockey also won an award for the rider who rode in most Racecourse Series races over that season.

Fisher said: "My agent did a very good job of getting the ride on Saturday and hopefully it's onwards and upwards. Other people are now taking notice and putting me on their horses as well. I joined Archie Watson three weeks ago and he's been very supportive."

On his rivalry with Davies, who similarly rode his first winner at Lingfield on Coolagh Magic in January, Fisher said: "I rode against Harry for four or five years on the pony circuit and he's certainly set the bar high since getting his licence out. He's a very good rider but hopefully we'll be riding against each other every day soon."

Fisher’s stepfather is trainer Joe Tickle, who has supported his stepson with rides since he got going this year, and even took over his apprentice licence when an initial move to Richard Hannon did not work out.

He said: "It was great that Taylor rode his first winner at Lingfield but, typically, as it was an evening meeting it didn’t get much coverage.

"Sky Sports Racing interviewed him afterwards but they didn’t put it out as they were covering the US racing but I’ve seen it and he spoke very well, so hopefully that will be the first of many."

During his pony racing days, Fisher often rode out with Davies at Andrew Balding’s yard, where the latter is now on the books, during the school holidays before they went their separate ways.

Harry Davies: regularly duelled with Taylor Fisher on the pony racing circuitCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Taylor got his licence six months later than Harry and took a bit longer to get going, whereas Harry flew," Tickle said. "I don’t have any doubts that both of them can ride. When they were pony racing, Harry was national champion one year and Taylor was the next.

"They both rode shedloads of winners and the pair of them are a great advert for British pony racing. They're as good as you’ll get as apprentice jockeys that’s for sure."

He added: "Harry and Taylor were both in at Andrew Balding’s as kids and we received an offer to go there, but Taylor didn’t think that both he and Harry were going to thrive at the same place.

"He went to Richard Hannon’s for a bit, but that didn’t work out for one reason or another and we held his licence here for a short while, which was good of the BHA.

"Archie Watson then took notice of him and gave him a few chances and was keen for him to go there. He’s been there about a month and now has an agent [Paul Clarke]."

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