Luke Dittman has started his career as a senior jockey the way he left his apprenticeship – as a winner.
Dittman rode Into The Red to win the Group Three Healy Stakes on his last day as an apprentice on June 25.
He rode for the first time as a fully fledged jockey at Ipswich on Friday and won on Abracadash.
Dittman kept the momentum going to open his metropolitan account as a senior rider when Golden Mineshaft won the fillies and mares feature at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
The Ipswich win was his 50th overall for the season and he now has 42 metropolitan winners which will ensure he finishes in the top 10 Brisbane jockeys for the first time.
The son of champion jockey Mick Dittman, Luke has done an outstanding job as he is one of the tallest jockeys in Australia at 180cm.
“I have often joked that I wish I was six inches shorter and five kilos lighter. But I have my weight under control and I enjoy riding at the moment,” Dittman said.
Dittman intends to concentrate on Queensland racing for the time being.
“I would obviously love to have a stint overseas at some stage. But I have a house on the Gold Coast and enjoy the lifestyle here,” Dittman said.
Golden Mineshaft could be set for fillies and mares stakes races during the Brisbane summer with her win on Saturday her fifth from
12 starts.
Her wins have all been at the Sunshine Coast but her trainer Paul Duncan was not disappointed with her midfield finish in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic.
“She was far from disgraced at her previous start in the Gai Waterhouse at Ipswich but she does like the Sunshine Coast’s bigger track,” Duncan said.
“She will probably go for a spell and we will see what is around for her in the summer.”
