Apprentice Josh Oliver lands his first Brisbane metropolitan winner on Endless Days at Doomben

KIWI apprentice Josh Oliver recently made the decision to call Australia home and celebrated with his first Brisbane metropolitan winner on Endless Days at Doomben on Wednesday.

Kiwi apprentice at home in the winner’s circle

KIWI apprentice Josh Oliver recently made the decision to call Australia home and celebrated with his first Brisbane metropolitan winner on Endless Days at Doomben on Wednesday.

Oliver, 20, started his career in New Zealand with Graeme Rogerson, but made the move to Australia after being sought out by top Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie.

“Ben asked me to come over on a three-month loan,” Oliver said. “That was four months ago and I recently signed over my papers to stay with him full-time.”

Oliver still has another 12 months to run on his apprenticeship and is keen to be given the green light to ride in the city on Saturdays.

This was only his second trip to Doomben, one of 46 tracks the well-travelled youngster has ridden on since starting his career three seasons ago.

All up, Oliver has ridden 66 winners, with nearly 30 of those coming since settling on the Darling Downs.

Endless Days is the third winner for the mare Endless Maize, whose other winning progeny have been Magic Millions F & M winner Endless Shadow and the four-time winner Endless Puzzle.

Earlier, Tony Gollan took his season metropolitan tally to 71.5 when Major Approval strolled home in the Super Hero Raceday Plate.

Gollan is rated $1.70 with Sportsbet to be the first trainer to prepare 100 Queensland metropolitan winners in a season. Last season he broke Bruce McLachlan’s longstanding Queensland record of 78 wins, when he finished on 79.

Gollan is loath to talk about record numbers, as he fears “jinxing” himself.

Josh Oliver is keen to ride in the city on Saturdays.

Orman lands double

EVEN allowing for James Orman’s assessment that being wide was no disadvantage, Divine Centuri created a huge impression with her easy win at Doomben on Wednesday.

Orman was forced to race three wide without cover for the entire race, but it mattered little, with the daughter of I Am Invincible showing a neat turn of foot at the top of the straight to put her rivals to the sword.

“We were travelling beautifully and it’s definitely better in the centre of the track, but she was a class above them. She could have been four wide the trip and still beaten them,” Orman, who completed a winning double, said.

Trainer Stuart Kendrick said he has some bigger ambitions in mind, but was just happy to get this softer win out of the way first.

“It’s what we wanted to see today,” Kendrick said. “I was stressed in the run. It worked out as bad as it could from there and she just had to lump it.”

Divine Centuri had knee chips removed last year and Kendrick said the patience of her owners is now starting to pay dividends. Divine Centuri debuted at the Sunshine Coast last June and only resumed at the Sunshine Coast late last month.

Earlier, Orman won on the filly Dream Finnish, who had no trouble accounting for older horses over the mile course.

Brooke Stower’s good association with Rob Heathcote continued when she hug the fence to win on Hit The Road Jack in race 7, defying a strong betting move for third placed Bold Approach.

Originally published as Apprentice Josh Oliver lands his first Brisbane metropolitan winner on Endless Days at Doomben