Star apprentice Timothy Bell has been sacked as Patinack Farm’s Queensland stable rider on the eve of the Brisbane winter carnival.
Bell, 19, received a week’s notice from millionaire owner Nathan Tinkler after riding trackwork at the stable’s Queensland headquarters at Wadham Park near Canungra in the Gold Coast hinterland on Wednesday morning.
Bell’s dismissal will pave the way for Jeff Lloyd and Michael Cahill to do the bulk of the stable’s riding in Queensland once they arrive from overseas.
South African Lloyd, who has been based in Hong Kong, was expected to start riding at the Group One BTC Cup meeting at Doomben on Saturday week.
However, he won’t start his Queensland tenure until the Group One Doomben Cup meeting the following week after incurring a careless riding suspension in Hong Kong.
Michael Cahill was due back from Mauritius on Wednesday ahead of riding at the Hollindale Stakes meeting at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Bell joined Patinack Farm as the stable’s Queensland rider 12 months ago.
It is believed Tinkler was unhappy with some of Bell’s recent performances and his failure to attend trackwork on Sunday.
Bell rides trackwork six days a week at Wadham Park but did not go on Sunday, believing it was his normal day off.
He had hoped to resolve his differences with Tinkler.
“I thought we could resolve it but it wasn’t to be,” Bell said.
“I got a week’s notice from Nathan via email this morning after I rode work.
“I had a great time with Patinack Farm and it’s a pity it has come to this just before the winter carnival.
“But all good things come to an end and I’m just thankful I didn’t burn any bridges with other trainers before I went to Patinack Farm.”
Bell is undecided about his plans for the future but will apply to Racing Queensland stewards to become a senior rider.
“I’ve got two months left on my apprenticeship but I’ll be applying to the stewards to become a senior straight away,” Bell said.
“I’ve just bought a house on the Gold Coast so I’ll probably stay here in Queensland for a while yet.
“I’m still doing a lot of riding for other trainers like Barry Baldwin, Gillian Heinrich and Michael Nolan.”
Bell is mystified as to why Tinkler felt he was not riding to the best of his ability.
“I can’t understand it. I reckon I’ve been riding at the best of my career,” he said.
