Jake Bayliss should come home: Heathcote

Top trainer Robert Heathcote believes much-travelled jockey Jake Bayliss should seriously consider coming home to Queensland.

Bayliss is the son of former Brisbane jockey Jamie Bayliss and brother of top Melbourne hoop Regan Bayliss.

He comes from one of Ipswich’s best known racing families.

Jake Bayliss has ridden with success in Victoria and more recently had a stint in New Zealand where he claimed his first Group One win aboard Volpe Veloce in the Railway at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

He has been based in Brisbane for the winter and combined with the Heathcote-trained Hopfgarten to win the Listed Wayne Wilson Mile at Doomben last Saturday.

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Heathcote believes it is a good time for Bayliss to establish himself in Brisbane with Robbie Fradd overseas and Jeff Lloyd to retire soon.

“I have been using him a good bit this winter. He handled Hopfgarten well and it showed he can compete with the best,” Heathcote said.

“He rode 40 winners in New Zealand and he’s won seven stakes races.”

Bayliss and Heathcote will join forces with Privlaka in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday.

“Privlaka is overdue for a win and he has drawn the rails on Saturday which means we should be able to ride him the way want,” Heathcote said.