Apprentice Josh Oliver keen for more
Ben Currie will do his best to keep stablemates stayers Honey Toast and Col ‘N’ Lil apart during the Brisbane winter carnival.
The Toowoomba trainer decided not to run Honey Toast in the Doomben Cup with tiny mare Col ‘N’ Lil carrying the stable’s banner to win a benchmark race over 2000m at Saturday’s meeting to set herself up for stakes races.
But the real star from the Currie stable to come out of the meeting could be Col “N’ Lil’s rider, apprentice Josh Oliver.
Oliver has ridden 50 winners since joining Currie last year from New Zealand but Col’N’ Lil was his first Saturday metropolitan success.
“Josh can ride light and he has a three kilogram claim,” Currie said.
“He has ridden a lot of winners around the provincial tracks and I would expect him to be n real demand from now on.”
Oliver said he was hoping to get more city rides and it had been a great thrill to win for Currie.
“I got my indentures extended to stay here and it is starting to pay off,” he said.
Currie said the Brisbane Cup (2400m) is a target for Honey Toast who will probably have a lead-up run in Saturday’s Premier’s Cup at Doomben.
“I really want to keep them apart. I will have to look at the race programs and see what we can do,” Currie said.
“Col ‘N’ Lil was strong at the end of 2000 metres and she would appreciate the 2400 of the Cup.”
“But there are other races for her such as the Ipswich Cup.”
Both Col ‘N” Lil and Honey Toast have shown they are not out of place in top class races.
Honey Toast won the recent Toowoomba Cup before running sixth in the Hollindale Stakes.
Col ‘N’ Lil led the field into the straight in last year’s Group One Queensland Oaks before tiring in the race won by Winx.