Apprentice Luke Dittman has landed his first Saturday metropolitan double at Doomben and plans to use the breakthrough as motivation in his battle with weight.
Dittman, the son of former champion jockey Mick Dittman, is one of the tallest riders in Australia but is reaping the benefits of getting his weight under control.
His wins came aboard the Liam Birchley-trained Headwater Country in the Garrards Horse & Hound Plate and Seeking More for Kelso Wood in the Become A BRC Member Open Handicap.
“To get a good book of rides and then a double is very important to me,” Dittman said.
“I have had trouble with my weight and it is an incentive to push the food away at dinner time.”
Dittman has now ridden 11 city winners and 40 overall this season.
The victory by Seeking More, the ninth of his career, continued Wood’s success with the horse’s dam Coniston Lass who was euthanised after a bout of colic several years ago.
“She was a good broodmare and Seeking More’s brother Seek And Find also won nine races,” Wood said.
Fresh from winning Wednesday’s Ramornie Handicap at Grafton with Rock Royalty, Birchley celebrated a Doomben double when Cum Dividend ($12) took out the Hamilton Hotel Open Handicap.
“The track was too hard for Cum Dividend when he was well beaten in the Rockhampton Newmarket at his previous start and the rain during the afternoon played into our hands,” Birchley said.
“Also, with Bridget Grylls’ claim he dropped from 59 kilograms at Rockhampton to 52 kilograms today and they let him lead easily.
“He is usually a consistent horse and just below the best horses.”
Robert Heathcote also notched a brace of winners with Kaiser Franz and improving galloper Lordag who was aided by a great ride from Glen Colless.
“When Lordag got beaten in a photo finish at his previous start I said Glen’s ride was the best losing effort I had seen. Today was one of the best winning rides I have seen,” Heathcote said.
“Lordag’s owner Neil Owen travels to the Melbourne Cup each year and we have picked out a benchmark race for Lordag on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington.”
