After an extended period down south, Travis Wolfgram is happily back home in Queensland where he has been making the most of his opportunities since returning to the Gold Coast, as evidenced by the treble he brought home on Saturday.
“I suppose the decision to come back to Queensland was more family based than anything else,” explained Wolfgram.
“Just being from the Gold Coast and having a family here … I missed them. I am a bit of a family man and Sydney was just a bit too far away.
“I wanted to come back a few years ago when I finished my apprenticeship but there were opportunities in Sydney that were presenting themselves. Each season I was there things got better. I got more rides. I rode more winners and I was riding for the bigger stables and it didn’t seem to be right to come home without giving it a decent crack.
“Then, when the pandemic hit, I thought … ok, at the end of this season I really want to come home,” continued Wolfgram. “With what was going on, you just don’t know what is going to happen next and I didn’t want to be away from family at a time like this … so I actually made the decision to come home months ago.
“I had always planned to see out the end of the season before returning, but then I had an appendix rupture, so I had an operation to get that out which ended my season early.
“A week after that they said the border to Queensland was closing so I jumped straight into my car and got back as soon as I could.
“I missed the first month of the season in Queensland through that appendix operation … and then I rushed and pushed to get back a bit earlier than I should have, and I paid the consequences two weeks later.
“I had to pull the pin here at the races one day and go to hospital to have it all checked out and then I took a few days off. It was about a week before I came back just to make sure it was right.
“The opportunities here have presented themselves.,” said Wolfgram, “and I have tried to grab them with both hands and I do think I am making the most of it.
“Amongst other things, I’ve been fortunate enough to get on a horse called Beaufort Park who I won a few on in New South Wales and he took me to town last week and gave me a Saturday winner up in Brisbane.
“I am booked to go back there with him again in the next couple of weeks.
“It’s very exciting to have owners and trainers who, if you win on a horse, are happy to keep you on and take you to town. I’ve been very fortunate with the cattle I have been on and I am thankful for all of the opportunities I have been offered since I’ve come back to Queensland.
“My aim is to keep making the most of my opportunities and to prove that I am just as good as anyone else in town.
“There is nothing like riding winners to get attention, so Saturday (with the three winners) was a very good day,” concluded Wolfgram.
Wolfgram’s winners at the Gold Coast on Saturday were Olympic Class ($9.50) for Michael Costa, Ramtastic ($1.85) and He’s The News ($2.25), both for Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida.
