Josh Oliver
Trish Dunell
New Zealand 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 before stints with Brian McKeagg and Keith and Brendon Hawtin, 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 or five months ago and I recently signed over my papers to stay with him full-time.
"Ben is only 24 and he has got about 50 horses in work and the team all seem to be going well at the moment.
"He's one of the leading trainers at Toowoomba and he gets plenty of runners heading to town so he's a good trainer to be aligned with."
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.
"I only have another ten winners until I lose my claim at the provincials," Oliver said. "I can claim three kilos at metropolitan meetings and I need to ride a few midweek metropolitan winners before they allow me to ride on Saturdays."
His win on Wednesday was only Oliver's 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 joining Currie.
"I fly to Rockhampton usually once a week and I am riding at about four meetings a week, including night meetings," he said.
Greater opportunities afforded to apprentices and the chance to race for better prize money are two of the factors for Oliver's venture across the Tasman.
"Queensland seems to be the best for giving apprentices a go," he said. "Especially here in Toowoomba where many of the riders are claimers and they give us an opportunity all year around, not just in the winter.
"We race for $14,000 minimums here whereas the midweek prizemoney in New Zealand is like Bush money here.
Aiding the transition to life in Toowoomba has been the host of ex-pat Kiwi riders among the Queensland jockey ranks.
"If they ever make fun of me for being a Kiwi, I've always got someone around the corner to back me up!" Oliver said.
"I'm really enjoying Queensland and I haven't had any thoughts of coming home, so this is where I will try and make my mark." – NZ Racing Desk.
Oliver, 20, started his career in New Zealand with Graeme Rogerson before stints with Brian McKeagg and Keith and Brendon Hawtin, 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 or five months ago and I recently signed over my papers to stay with him full-time.
"Ben is only 24 and he has got about 50 horses in work and the team all seem to be going well at the moment.
"He's one of the leading trainers at Toowoomba and he gets plenty of runners heading to town so he's a good trainer to be aligned with."
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.
"I only have another ten winners until I lose my claim at the provincials," Oliver said. "I can claim three kilos at metropolitan meetings and I need to ride a few midweek metropolitan winners before they allow me to ride on Saturdays."
His win on Wednesday was only Oliver's 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 joining Currie.
"I fly to Rockhampton usually once a week and I am riding at about four meetings a week, including night meetings," he said.
Greater opportunities afforded to apprentices and the chance to race for better prize money are two of the factors for Oliver's venture across the Tasman.
"Queensland seems to be the best for giving apprentices a go," he said. "Especially here in Toowoomba where many of the riders are claimers and they give us an opportunity all year around, not just in the winter.
"We race for $14,000 minimums here whereas the midweek prizemoney in New Zealand is like Bush money here.
Aiding the transition to life in Toowoomba has been the host of ex-pat Kiwi riders among the Queensland jockey ranks.
"If they ever make fun of me for being a Kiwi, I've always got someone around the corner to back me up!" Oliver said.
"I'm really enjoying Queensland and I haven't had any thoughts of coming home, so this is where I will try and make my mark." – NZ Racing Desk.