Bell chimes four times

An emotion-charged run by Bell and Dealers was a fitting tribute (Noel Pascoe photos)

There has been much talk about the arrival of 16-year-old apprentice jockey Timothy Bell.

He holds himself extremely well, always displaying a professional, mature and humble personality, and if you did not believe it before, Saturday, January 30 proves the boy can ride.

From six rides at Doomben, Bell, a week before his 17th birthday, recorded four wins to rewrite the record books as the youngest jockey in Brisbane’s racing history to achieve the feat.

Indentured to Tamworth-based trainer Sue Grills, the apprentice rode magnificently to score on Ollie Vollie (Grills), Rare Diamond (Gordon Yorke), Dealers (Grills) and Fantastic Blue (Paul Nolan).

“I just pretended that I hadn’t ridden any to tell you the truth, it wasn’t going through my mind,” Bell said, describing his frame of mind heading into the last race and an opportunity to produce the historic moment.

“I’ve ridden four winners in the bush before, but that’s my first in the city and especially on a Saturday. Brisbane’s been a pretty happy hunting ground.”

Bell’s celebrations will be a little tamer than expected, probably hampered by his youth. “I will probably be going back to work tonight and spending the night with my boss Mrs Grills,” he said.

With Bell’s success comes added pressure as the jockey’s claim reduces from three kilograms at metropolitan meets to two kilograms as a result of his 22 wins in the city, with seven of those recorded in Brisbane.

Bell’s rides on Ollie Vollie and Rare Diamond produced gifted runs for the pair as he sat them just off the pace.

Ollie Vollie (G7 Belong to Me USA-Lockley’s Dance) let down beautifully at the 250 metre mark to produce a dominant three and a quarter length victory.

The Coffs Harbour-based Rare Diamond (M4 Redoutes Choice-Lo Zimbello) was presented a little earlier by Bell with 450 metres to travel. She held her opposition at bay and eventually pulled away to record a two length victory.

However, it was not until the last two races of the card that Bell’s extreme promise showed through.

Tragedy had hit the Grills and Bell camp the night prior, with Dealer’s part-owner, Andrew Futter, tragically killed in a road accident near Tenterfield when travelling to Brisbane to watch his six-year-old gelding race.

Apprentice Timothy Bell is the youngest jockey in history to ride four winners at Brisbane

So often sport, and in particular thoroughbred racing, produce moments that seem somehow guided by an external force. Dealers’ run was one of these.

Jumping from a wide gate, Dealers (Viscount-Many Hands) and Bell were trapped three to four wide for the entire run to the top of the straight and it seemed only divine intervention could produce the fairytale ending

Bell, sporting a black armband in tribute, took an early run on the six-year-old gelding who by all rights should have been spent, but fought hard to gain the ascendancy to post a half neck win.

Emotions were high as Bell returned to scale on his first treble in the city. “I think a lot of people were on our side,” Bell said.

Grills was provided with a double for the day through the work of Bell, but was understandably emotional after the run of Dealers.

“It’s very sad for all of us. The horse has won, so I know he (Mr Futter) would be happy and I think he was helping Tim (Bell),” Grills said.

Little did Bell know, his ride of the day would come in the last at Doomben to complete the four win feat.

Bell patiently sat Fantastic Blue, a three-year-old gelding by Danehill Dancer (IRE) out of Chandrika, third to last in the large field of 15 runners.

The jockey waited for the top of the straight to make a swift move towards the centre of the track from the rails, and somehow slotted the three-year-old through what could be barely classified a gap.

“It was a little bit tight, but that’s why we’re paid to ride them,” Bell said. “We’re paid good money to try and make runs where there are runs and I’m glad he was a tough enough horse to go through with it.”

Fantastic Blue responded, as they all seem to for Bell, with a brilliant 300 metre dash to record a one and three quarter length win.

Racing in Queensland seems to have hit a golden patch of late with plenty of milestones to report during the Summer Racing Carnival.

Bell’s record follows fellow jockey Jim Byrne, a week previous recording five wins from seven rides at a metropolitan meet.

Callaghan Park at Rockhampton successfully launched its new $6.5 million redeveloped course proper amid much fanfare.

Still at Rockhampton, four female jockeys entered the record books as the first to ride the card at a TAB meeting.

Then Queensland racing, and in particular Mackay, had the much-publicised race where seven of the eight horses in one race carried the prefix ‘Craiglea’. Fittingly they finished positions one through to seven for Stan Johnstone’s team.

Racing looks good north of the border, and we hope to entice the promising apprentice Bell to return as a more permanent fixture.

QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Ross Dowd – February 1