Luke Dittman making his own mark in senior riding ranks in Brisbane

LUKE Dittman reckons he is starting to step out of the shadow of his famous father Mick.

Luke Dittman, the son of Hall Of Fame jockey Mick Dittman, is getting great support from owners and trainers after finishing his apprenticeship. Picture: Glenn Hampson

LUKE Dittman reckons he is starting to step out of the shadow of his famous father Mick.

“It is getting to the stage where people are saying, ‘that is Luke Dittman who has ridden that winner’,” Dittman said. “They aren’t saying so much anymore ‘that is Mick Dittman’s son who has ridden that winner’.”

It is never easy for a son of a gun to carve out his own sporting identity, but 24-year-old Dittman is making great strides.

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Recently out of his apprenticeship, the son of riding legend and Australian Racing Hall of Fame jockey Mick is enjoying a terrific start to his career as a senior rider.

He can build on that over the next couple of days at the Grafton carnival where he has some good rides, including Into The Red for Kelso Wood in Wednesday’s $160,000 Ramornie Handicap.

For a jockey, size does matter. At 182cm, Dittman is one of Australia’s tallest jockeys and he knows he will constantly face weight challenges. But he wants to prove his high skill in the saddle can overcome any adversity.

Luke Dittman has made a terrific start to his senior riding career. Picture: Darren England

“Yes, I am tall, but I want to show people I can still get the job done very well,” Dittman said. “I was a bit nervous coming out of my time as an apprentice, because I was wondering whether I would still get the same support from trainers and owners and whether I would still get as many rides.

“But I seem to have made the switch over from being an apprentice to being a senior rider pretty well, and I don’t seem to have lost any support.”

Dittman has three rides for Wood at Grafton on Wednesday and is particularly looking forward to continuing his nice association with Into The Red.

Into The Red is $5.50 in the Ramornie, behind only Godolphin colt Mogador ($4.60) in betting, and bookies are expecting the Wood runner to be well backed.

“Mogador has been a beaten favourite in three of his last four starts, so it won’t surprise if punters drop off. Into The Red is racing in career-best form and there was money for him as soon as betting opened,” sportsbet.com.au’s Christian Jantzen said.

Luke Dittman hopes his good strike rate with Kelso Wood runners continues on Wednesday when he rides Into The Red in the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton. Picture: Colleen Petch

Dittman has ridden Into The Red to two wins in his past three starts, including the Group 3 Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm last month.

“I have a very good strike rate for Kelso Wood. I’ve had 20 or so rides for him for about a dozen winners,” Dittman said. “If Into The Red runs anywhere near his Group 3 form, he will give the Ramornie a really good shake.

“Mogador is probably the horse in the Ramornie field that I think can give my horse a run for his money.”

Dittman has previously ridden in France and New Zealand but has no plans to move away from where he is making his name in southeast Queensland. However, he says he would leap at the chance to experience a short stint in the Asian riding scene if the opportunity came up.

Originally published as Luke Dittman making his own mark in senior riding ranks in Brisbane