LUKE CURRIE could become the first Tasmanian jockey to win the Golden Slipper when he rides favourite Sunlight in the $3.5 million race at Rosehill on Saturday.
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Currie, 36, left Launceston as a teenage apprentice and has spent most of his riding career in Victoria, apart from stints in Mauritius, Singapore and Malaysia.
His 1156 career wins include four group 1 races.
In the past two years, Currie has formed a formidable partnership with Sunlight’s trainer Tony McEvoy and their wins have included two group 1 races with Hey Doc.
However their richest success came on the Gold Coast in January when Currie rode Sunlight to victory in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Sunlight has won her past five starts in a row and Currie has been on board in all bar one of those races.
She remained a firm $4 favourite for the Golden Slipper after drawing barrier 5 on Tuesday.
CRAIG NEWITT believes promising filly Breathtaking should be unbeaten since returning from a spell.
The three-year-old won first-up at Mowbray on February 14 before going down by a nose to Ruthless Lover on Launceston Cup day when Newitt protested unsuccessfully.
The jockey told stewards that Ruthless Lover laid in under pressure over the closing stages, bumping Breathtaking and costing her victory.
However Ruthless Lover’s rider Anthony Darmanin was quick to point out that, shortly before that incident, Breathtaking laid out and made contact with his mount.
Darmanin said Ruthless Lover had still been off balance as a result of that bump when he laid in and made contact with Breathtaking.
The tit for tat incidents left stewards little choice but to dismiss the protest.
Breathtaking could easily make amends in the Class 1 Handicap at Mowbray on Wednesday night
She has drawn well in barrier 4 and is likely to get similar conditions to when she won her maiden on a soft 5 track five weeks ago.
The filly opened at $1.90 with Bet365.
TASMANIAN sprint star I’m Wesley has been given a hefty 59kg in the $200,000 Hareeba Stakes at Mornington on Saturday.
He carried only 55kg when a close second to Secret Agenda in a listed race at Flemington 18 days ago.
The Hareeba is also a listed race and apprentices cannot claim.
Two Tasmanian horses have been entered for the $300,000 Mornington Cup on the same program.
Launceston Cup runner-up Fastnet Dragon and last week’s St Leger runner-up Up Cups are both weighted on the minimum 54kg.
Fastnet Dragon is 15th in the order of entry and Up Cups 18th. The field limit is 14 runners.