Taylor Youl prefers to fly under the radar, but it’s getting harder for her to continue doing so.
The 22-year-old junior driver is gaining serious respect across the industry, none more so than from her boss, leading trainer Chris Svanosio.
“She’s doing a great job. We’ve given her a fair bit of responsibility driving some good horses since she’s been working here and she’s done a terrific job,” he said.
“Taylor has become a really important part of the stable.”
Youl first made a splash in 2023 with 90 winners and is on target for another big year 26 winners this year.
“I had a stack of drives for Robbie (Walters) in 2023, way more than I get now, but it really helped me gain experience and improve as a driver,” she said.
“These days, I’m happy to keep a low profile and drive here and then when I’m asked.
“But I do love driving, I wouldn’t do it unless I did.”
Youl, who grew up around horses near Bendigo with uncle Kent Harpley and auntie Shelly Wicks, teams up with her favourite trotter Remus Phoenix again at Melton on Saturday night.
She’s won five races on the Svanosio-trained gelding, who continues to improve and won the Scotch Notch Memorial Trot at Melton on May 2.
“He’s been a super horse to me,” Youl said. “What’s even better is that he’s my favourite around the stable, too.”
Four starts back they combined to run third to champion trotting mare Keayang Zahara in the Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle.
It was Youl’s fourth Group 1 placing from just 11 drives at the top level.
“Hopefully I’ll win at Group 1 one day, that would be amazing,” she said.
Although it’s not a Group 1, Youl has her sights set on potentially her biggest win yet at Wagga later this month.
Another of her regular drives for Svanosio is classy three-year-old trotting filly Aldebaran Ada, who ran third in the Group 1 NSW Trotters’ Oaks at her last start.
“I didn’t drive her that night, Chris (Svanosio) did, because I stayed home at Melton and that’s the night I won on Remus Phoenix,” Youl said.
“But that’s the great thing about Chris. Once you drive a horse for him, he’s happy to leave you on. He sees this filly (Aldebaran Ada) as my drive, so I’m looking forward to Wagga.”
The Wagga target is the $125,000 Nutrien 3YO trotting fillies’ final on May 30.
“She’s got the heats next Tuesday and then, hopefully, onto the final,” Youl said. “She trialled at Melton (on Tuesday) and we were really happy.”
Aldebaran Ada finished second a two metre second in the trial to the exciting two-year-old Verbici, who won his only start at Bendigo by 35 metres.
“She’s not just one of my stable favourites, everybody around the place loves this filly,” Youl said.
“She’s another of the good horses Chris has let me drive in the 18 months or so I’ve been working for him. I’m so grateful.”
