Brett Fliedner is, by all definitions, from the old school of racing.
The veteran jockey, who’s won over 1000 races across every Australian racing authority barring the Northern Territory, does not have a manager, never asks for rides, and doesn’t need to.
A successful builder by day, the Wagga-based Fliedner races for the thrill while riding trackwork for Wagga trainers such as Tim Donnelly, Mick Travers, and others who seek out his services.
“It’s more a hobby for me, and I’m still doing it because I love riding,” Fliedner said.
“I still ride as good as I did when I was younger; I might be a bit slower, but I still love it.”
Fliedner was just relicensed, meaning the 60-year-old will have at least another year in the saddle.
“People say, ‘You should retire, you should retire’, but while I’m still good and able, I’ll continue riding,” Fliedner said.
“I just did my medical and passed, and my eyesight is better than it was ten years ago, and they put the wires on me and all that, and I came back as a category six; it’s like I’m a 40-year-old.
“Plus, I don’t get many rides these days, and I don’t take any of the living away from anyone else, and I generally get on horses that nobody else wants to ride, so it’s not hurting anyone.”
Fliedner kicked off his career in 1975, commencing his apprenticeship with Tony Lopes while spending time with Brian Dorman in Berrigan and Peter Clancy in Leeton before returning to Lopes and his Chiquita Lodge team.
Oddly enough, his connection to Lopes created a lifelong friendship with Michael Heagney, another popular and well-travelled jockey.
“Seven years to the day I left Tony Lopes, Michael Heagney started there, and he lived in the same quarters I did, and we’re are still good mates,” Fliedner said.
“We both loved to travel, and I was probably worse than Mick; I rode in four states in one week, but that’s what we did.”
Fliedner has ridden some outstanding horses and was a highly sought-after jockey in his prime, but he admitted there were some difficult times, with his weight causing him some grief.
“I would be in sweat gear 24/7 and ate once a week,” Fliedner said.
“I was 57kg when I was 13 and 14, and I starved myself all my life, and I’ve not eaten breakfast or lunch for 50 years, but I had dinner every night and ate what I wanted.”
Fliedner battled through, and he’s now able to look back on what has been a storied career, where he has made a name for himself as a very good jockey and excellent trackwork rider, working with Southern Districts champions Green Ridge (43-time winner) for Dave Heywood, and Aura Lad (Tumbarumba champion) for Bob Burgun to name a few.
“I’ve ridden in big races at Flemington, Brisbane, Sydney; I won a good two-year-old race on my mother’s horse back in the 70s, and I’ve won eight Tumbarumba Cups,” Fliedner said.
“I rode a good horse called Green Ridge at trackwork for three years, and it won three Ted Ryder Cups and a Snake Gully Cup, and I rode a lot of good horses for Dave Heywood but never asked for a ride,” Fliedner said.
“I rode most of Aura Lad’s races and only got off when he had 61kg or something like that, but the thing is, I’ve never asked for a ride my whole life; whatever I’ve got, trainers have asked me.”
While he doesn’t go out of his way to get rides, it means his chances have been few and far between in recent years, with his most recent winner arriving in 2020 when the Trevor Sutherland-trained Empires Collide won at Tumut.
Fliedner admitted he’d dearly love to get a nice chance and boot home another winner or two before finally hanging up the boots.
On Saturday, he ventures to Narrandera for one ride when teaming up with Shane Bloomfield.
He’ll jump aboard rising 11-year-old Delivered in the 1400m Benchmark 50 Handicap, and he explained how the opportunity arose.
“I try to ride work every day, but with all the young ones around, they don’t really need an old bloke like me,” Fliedner laughed.
‘I’m going to Shane’s every Saturday morning, and I’m riding four there, and it’s fantastic.
“I’m good mates with Shane and great mates with Andy (Bloomfield), and I’ve known their mum and dad longer than they have; they’re a good family, and it’s good to be able to ride one for Shane.”
Racing fans will be cheering Fliedner on at Narrandera, and readers can check out Narrandera’s fields and the jockey’s chances by clicking here.
