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By Col Hodges

At three years of age, Nick Hyde was carrying water buckets around racing stables at Dubbo and that same determination was again to the fore 20 years later when as an apprentice jockey he rode his career first winner Cheap Charlie, on Friday, at Nowra.

Winning prospects for his mount were looking forlorn as $20 outsider Cheap Charlie appeared to be resenting the kickback on the heavy track from horses ahead and had dropped to near the tail of the field in the 1100m McDonalds Maiden Plate.

Eased wider on the track to better going by Nick Hyde, Cheap Charlie gained momentum and set out after Lord Paramount which had dashed well clear in the straight.

A beaming Nick Hyde after winning on Cheap Charlie at Nowra. Image by Bradley Photographers

Making it a 23rd birthday to remember for Nick Hyde, Cheap Charlie powered home to win by a long neck from Lord Paramount (Brodie Loy, $3.80) and Khumbu (Jess Taylor, $7).

Waiting by the winner's stall was a proud trainer, Brett Lazzarini to whom Nick Hyde is apprenticed at Kembla Grange.

For Brett Lazzarini it was another winning step forward on the comeback trail after leaving the industry for more than 25 years.

In earlier times he had been mentored by Dr Geoff Chapman, formerly from Dubbo, who earned fame as a rugby union star with the Australian Wallabies and as a trainer of champion racehorses.

When later based at Ballina, Brett Lazzarini was a successful trainer with a big team in work and won some major Cups.

Darren Hyde, himself a prominent trainer at Dubbo, remembers his son as always keen to be around horses.

Involved in the building trade, Darren was also the foreman for the late Tom Mulholland, a long time successful trainer at Dubbo.

“Even as a toddler Nick was at the stables wanting to help with the feed and water buckets or to lead a horse," Darren recalled.

“By the age of 13 Nick was learning to ride Thoroughbred racehorses and one of his mounts was the retired Ramornie Handicap winner King Rex owned by Peter Carolan and Garry Kimmorley from Dubbo.

“When John Lundholm jnr and his son Clint moved to Dubbo, they helped greatly with his riding skills and began putting him on some of the young and more flighty horses they were breaking,“ Darren explained.

Eventually, Nick was employed by his father who, following the passing of Tom Mulholland, began operating from the stables as a full-time trainer.

Top gallopers trained by Darren Hyde have included the Bathurst Cup winner Cardiff Prince and Westlink, fifth in a Country Championships Final after winning the $150,000 Western Districts Qualifier at Dubbo.

Always dreaming to become a jockey, Nick seized every opportunity to ride work alongside outstanding jockeys, Greg Ryan, Kody Nestor and Justin Stanley who were generous with helpful advice.

Not all was smooth sailing as Nick was twice airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney after serious falls.

When the COVID pandemic hit in early 2020, several owners who had to close businesses sold their horses and with less work to do at the Hyde stable, Nick after discussing with his father took a job with Kembla trainer Theresa Bateup.

Despite being tall and having to be vigilant in keeping his weight down, Nick was offered a jockey apprenticeship by Brett Lazzarini who was obviously impressed by the work ethic and attitude of the young man from Dubbo.

After riding in more than 20 official barrier trials including returning home for some at Dubbo, Nick was granted his licence and had his first race ride when second on the Brett Lazzarini-trained Delude at the Sapphire Coast in May 2021.

“Brett Lazzarini has been great to Nick and there are several others who am I am very thankful for including Rodney Quinn and Hugh Bowman," said Darren Hyde.

“Formerly from Nyngan, Rodney Quinn became a leading jockey in Sydney and is now a mentor to apprentice jockeys while the champion rider Hugh Bowman gave Nick a copy of the diet which has helped keep Hugh in the sport," Darren revealed.

The breakthrough for Nick Hyde at Nowra came at only his 10th ride in a race but a long time after he first began dreaming about becoming a jockey.