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Freddy Tylicki is hopeful Ambiente Friendly can give a strong account of himself and justify his faith in the Derby at Epsom.
Now a bloodstock agent, Tylicki, who is also a familiar face in his role as a television pundit, was impressed by the colt after a number of viewings and urged the Gredley family to buy him at last year’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale for 80,000 guineas.
Ambiente Friendly is a 6/1 chance with the sponsors for the premier Classic after bolting up by four and a half lengths in the Lingfield Derby Trial and was also placed behind Ancient Wisdom, who he will reoppose on Saturday, in the Group Three Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.
Tylicki was stable jockey for trainer James Fanshawe before the career-ending fall at Kempton in 2016 that left him partially paralysed. The pair enjoyed several top-class winners together, highlighted by dual Group One victor Speedy Boarding.
The step up in trip this season has seen the son of Gleneagles find another gear and it would be a poignant success for Tylicki should Ambiente Friendly run a big race on the Surrey Downs.
Tylicki told Tattersalls: “The day before the breeze up I met Mr (Bill) Gredley and he said to me ‘try and find me a nice stayer’, he didn’t want a speedy type. So off I went and did my homework and came across this fella.
“I watched him pre-breeze and he got a tick off me on the page. Then I watched him in the breeze, and he was straight as a gun barrel.
“When I went to see him afterwards, there was just something about him. His whole physique, presence, his honesty in his eyes, just everything clicked for me, and I actually went to see him four times altogether.
“To cut a long story short, he was the one I really wanted so I said to Mr Gredley ‘try and buy this fella’, and luckily he did.
“I wouldn’t swap him for anything. If I could ride him, I would love to swing my leg around him. I think he’ll go around Tattenham Corner like an absolute superstar.
“The way he travelled at Lingfield around that bend, nine out of 10 times when they handle that bend, they’ll handle Epsom. If he switches off in the early stages – which I think he will because he has grown up so much and improving so much – I think he’ll have a great chance!”
Racing as well as showjumping has been an integral part of the lives of the Gredley family and Tim Gredley, who is hoping to make the British showjumping team for the Paris Olympics, added: “We would genuinely be delighted if he finished in the first three or four.
“There’s a couple of horses there that are superstars but underperformed. Ours could also improve a lot from the last run.
“I think the Fanshawes did a fantastic job in getting him to the first race at Newmarket (on seasonal debut) not fully wound up and at Lingfield he looked very good so there could be some improvement yet.”
He added: “It’s the Derby, whatever anyone says, as an Englishman winning the Epsom Derby is the biggest thing you can do. I love the history; I love all the tradition of the race so to be able to say you’ve won that one is definitely a bit more special.”
