By Jonny Turner
Tyler Dewe produced his first win as a trainer in the most stunning fashion at Winton on Saturday.
Dewe got his official training account underway on the best possible note when Teddy Baker and driver Rory McIlwrick left their rivals in their dust to score a brilliant maiden victory.
The pair set a pace far too hectic for those left in their wake when clocking a 2-54.4 time for 2400m and winning by more than nine lengths.
Teddy Baker has been better known as a grinding type and he showed that in his work for Dewe a week ago.
That resulted in the rookie trainer making some key changes ahead of his stable debut and they clearly worked a treat.
“I worked him on a helmet on Saturday and he wouldn’t go past the other horse.”
“So, I said to Rory we will put some blinds on him and once he drew the 1 draw he was always going to go forward.”
“It wasn’t necessarily going to be handlebars down, but Rory said he felt so good, he was just trying to keep him happy.”
Dewe has worked on trying to better understand Teddy Baker since acquiring him three weeks ago.
That has meant working around some of the horse’s unique characteristics.
“He is a rogue, he is a high-strung horse and he acts like a thoroughbred.”
“He spins around going on to the track which is something he has done his whole life.”
“I did a bit of research on him when I got him and got in touch with the people who had worked with him before and tried to make some changes.”
The closer Teddy Baker got to Saturday’s race, the more confidence Dewe had in his horse.
“It was a pretty big thrill.”
“I knew he would go a good race.”
“Off his work on Tuesday, I thought he would be pretty hard to beat.”
“I said to Rory I haven’t seen a horse work like that for a long time.”
Having his good friend Rory McIlwrick doing the driving added a special touch to Dewe’s first win as a trainer, which came with his first starter.
“I always said to Rory when I get my licence you will be my driver.”
Dewe had won 10 races as a driver before notching his first training victory.
He had helped prepare many winners previously, especially as the man in charge of Michael House’s Southland operation.
When the chance came along to train his own horse, Dewe seized the opportunity.
“I thought I would have a crack myself because it gives you something to aim at.”
“I am 25 now, I know I am only young but you need to have a crack.”
“Life is about having a crack or else you will get nowhere.”
Dewe capped an already big day as part of the team who produced Mogul to win race 9 for the Michael House stable.
