Rising star apprentice jockey Luke Cartwright keen to maintain momentum after comeback from fall

Young gun Luke Cartwright says he has come back a better jockey since a race fall and wants to maintain his winning momentum over the long weekend at Mornington and Sandown.

Rising star jockey Luke Cartwright wants to build on momentum and make up for lost time.

Cartwright missed four months with a cervical spine fracture after a race fall at The Valley in late November but thankfully avoided surgery.

The 18-year-old, who returned to race riding last month, turned a first Saturday city class winner into a double last weekend.

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He rode another country winner earlier in the week at Benalla and placed at Caulfield Heath.

Cartwright will partner the family-owned Curran in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington on Saturday for grandmother and mother, trainers Lyn Tolson and Leonie Proctor.

“Even to run top three would mean the world to me,” Cartwright said ahead of his first ride in a stakes race.

“I’ve got a good book Saturday and the meeting at Sandown on Monday.

“If I can be consistent, like I have been the last few meetings and last weekend, I’ll be rapt.”

Cartwright learned to appreciate racing and in particular the training of horses during his time off.

“I feel like I’m an even better version of myself than before the fall,” Cartwright said.

“I watched a lot of replays and spent time on the sidelines overlooking training with my mother and grandmother and you get a different perspective, watching how they train and do things.”

Luke Cartwright scored a first city double last Saturday. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

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Cartwright, who rode Curran in a trial last week, said the seven-year-old could outperform market expectation.

Curran is $51 in a Hareeba market dominated by War Machine ($3.80), Hedged ($5), Oscar’s Fortune ($5.50), The Instructor ($6), She Dances ($7.50) and Regal Vow ($7.50).

Tolson and Proctor famously bought then unraced Curran, now a five-time winner from 37 starts and $882,390 prizemoney earner, for $600 out of an Inglis Digital auction in 2020.

Cartwright’s older brother Matthew piloted Curran in four of the five wins.

Curran, whose last win came in the 2023 Country Discovery, raced only three times last year.

He was runner-up in the Group 3 Standish Handicap and unplaced in two subsequent starts.

Curran raced close to the speed first-up at Flemington last month after a long break and faded late.

“His trials and gallops have been faultless,” Cartwright said.

“If he brings his best form he’ll run a good race.

“The main thing with him is his breathing … if his breathing is right, has a good run in transit and I get the right cart up I’ll be right in the finish.

“It will be really good for the family and the horse to get back to his usual self and run a nice race.”

Originally published as Rising star apprentice jockey Luke Cartwright keen to maintain momentum after comeback from fall