Life’s sunny for Kiwi apprentice Goldsbury in Queensland
KIWI apprentice Rebecca Goldsbury is excelling under leading Queensland provincial trainer Ben Currie and is hoping to extend her three-month loan spell in the sunshine state.
Goldsbury took the opportunity to broaden her riding experience by accepting an offer to ride for Currie from August 1 after successfully completing a three-week trial in late June. In that time, she has ridden ten provincial winners and by her own admission is having a “complete blast”.
“It’s really good here and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself,” she said.
“I loved the initial three weeks I had and when they asked me to stay on for another three months I jumped at the opportunity.
“I had been thinking about coming over and trying my luck in Australia and when I got the call to see whether I would be interested it seemed like the perfect time to take advantage of the offer.
“I rode for three weeks and then had two back at home before I flew back for the start of the new season.
“I love it here and with plenty of Kiwis riding or involved in stables I haven’t really been homesick just yet.”
Currie made the offer to Goldsbury on the recommendation of former Kiwi apprentice Josh Oliver, who had enjoyed a successful stint with the stable after transferring his apprenticeship to Currie back in September, 2015.
Currie said Oliver’s praise made his decision an easy one.
“Josh was at the end of his time so we were looking for someone to fill a similar role to the one he had played for us,” the trainer said.
“He mentioned Rebecca so we gave her a call and got it organised.
“She has hit the ground running and enjoyed early success, which I think has been a real feather in her cap.
“We couldn’t be more delighted with the progress she has made and all we need now is for her to get her license to ride in the city and I think that will give her another big boost.”
Goldsbury is currently licensed to ride at provincial and country meetings where she can claim a 1.5-kilogram allowance. Once she is permitted to ride at the main city meetings, that allowance rises to 3 kilograms which should see her in hot demand.
“I have spoken with the authorities and that license should be coming through any day now,” Currie said.
“Having someone with Rebecca’s experience able to claim a decent allowance will be a real boost for our stable and any of the other trainers she has been able to get rides with of late.”
The Kiwi influence on the Currie stable is a profound one.
The trainer has secured several promising gallopers he has sourced from New Zealand Bloodstock’s Yearling Sales over the past few years, and he is happy to continue the association while it yields results.
“I’ve been a regular at Karaka for the last four or five years and we have had some good success, although we are by no means operating at the top end of the scale,” he said.
“We bought a filly called Isn’t She Elegant for $30,000 from Rich Hill Stud back in 2015 and she has won five races for us so far.
“She ran in the Queensland Oaks at the end of her last prep and is getting ready to come back for her four-year-old season.
“We have mainly bought staying types and have some lovely two and three-year-olds coming through so hopefully we can continue to build on the success we have had of late.”