Episode 397: Nick Heywood

If there’s a single positive about Nick Heywood’s current injury layoff, it’s the fact that we were able to pin him down for an interview. He talks about the inevitability of accidents and the fact that jockeys have to come to terms with it.   Nick talks about the vagaries of racing luck and his early winning double on the day of his Wagga race fall.   He looks back on the unusual nature of the fall that left him with a fracture to the tibia. Nick looks back on two good seasons, and his resolve not to waste an opportunity. He takes us through the pristine eating measures he has to endure to stay in the saddle. The jockey talks about his marathon runs around the streets of Wagga, and his heavy trackwork schedule. Nick gives us one prime example of the mileage he travels to bolster race day opportunities. Heywood talks of his initial apprenticeship to Peter Clancy at Leeton and a transfer to the Wagga stables of his father Chris Heywood. He looks back on the thrill of his first winning ride at Deniliquin, on a mare trained by his dad. He also has vivid recollections of his initial city win at Warwick Farm in 2016. Nick looks back with delight on a twelve month stint with Team Snowden at Randwick- the best horse he’s ever ridden and a magical Saturday win at headquarters. That win came on a special occasion in the young jockey’s life. The Wagga jockey pays tribute to the most significant horse in his life so far. He recalls Another One’s second placing in his first crack at the Country Championship. Nick talks of the confidence he had in Another One coming into this year’s Country Championship Final. He takes us through the race. The jockey talks of the gelding’s failure in the Kosciuszko and his current return to form. He speaks affectionately of his unbeaten record on top galloper Handle The Truth- two rides for two wins, one of them at Rosehill. It’s interesting to hear Nick’s assessment of a handful of jockeys for whom he has special admiration. He looks back on a string of wins in country feature races. Nick pays tribute to partner and fellow Riverina jockey Hannah Williams.  He looks at where he’s likely to be when his riding career comes to an end.