Visiting Aussie Luke Currie Wins at Trentham

Media Release - Saturday December 7

Visiting Australian jockey Luke Currie made his New Zealand debut a winning one with a last-to-first performance on Wingman in Saturday’s Aztech Engineering 3YO (1400m) at Trentham.

Currie has more than 1450 winners to his name in Australia, including 13 Group Ones as well as last year’s A$5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) aboard Kiwi-bred star Mr Brightside. He has also won races in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius. Now he has added New Zealand to that list.

Wingman winning the Aztech Engineering 3YO (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

A second placegetter on Too Sweet in the first race on the Trentham card, Currie went one better when he was legged aboard Wingman for his second New Zealand ride.

The Swiss Ace gelding was slow to leave the starting gates and dropped out to be a clear last as Velton set a moderate tempo out in front, but Currie never panicked and allowed his mount to find his feet and gather his momentum.

The gaps closed coming up to the home turn and Currie angled his mount out to the centre of the track to lodge his claim. Wingman lengthened stride stylishly and bounded to the front with more than 100m remaining. Leica Lucy sprinted up alongside him on his inside and made him work hard through the final 50m, but Wingman found enough to repel her by a head.

“Having ridden a winner now, obviously I have to say I think riding here at Trentham is pretty good,” Currie said. “But it’s a lovely big track and it’s in great condition today, so it’s really nice to be here.

“The horse quickened up very nicely. I left him alone early, and being such a small field, I was a bit concerned that they might back the pace right off. But he came out in the straight and quickened really well. It was a good, tough win.”

Advertisement

Bred and raced by Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey, Wingman has now had three starts for two wins and a placing and has earned $52,175 in stakes.

Wingman is held in high regard by his trainer Roydon Bergerson, who sees him as a genuine contender for the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie in March.

“That was a very good performance by both horse and rider,” Bergerson said. “I just told him to go back, let him settle and then get him to the outside. He doesn’t seem to be the same horse when he’s got something outside him – he sort of wimps out a bit. But he’s got a bright future.

“Hopefully Awapuni might select him for the slot race. I’m really happy with this horse and I think he’s only going to get better. It was a very good effort to come from two or three lengths last off a slow pace today. He got to the line really well.

“We’ll probably look to give him a bit of a break now and get him ready for March.”

The TAB rates Wingman a $26 chance in an NZB Kiwi market that is headed by equal $8 favourites Aeliana, Checkmate and Savaglee. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
2025 G1 Caulfield Guineas Field and Barrier Draw
A full field plus emergencies have accepted for the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday with Golden Rose runners Wodeton, Autumn Boy, Nepotism and Rivellino all engaged.
Wrote SW on Comeback Trail
Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 7
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Briasa Boost as More Youngsters Impress on HIT Sale Eve
The timing couldn’t be better for a sale page's pedigree boost, with Briasa announcing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting sprinters following his dominant victory in Saturday’s $1 million Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
Sword of State 2YO Ready for Debut
A pair of promising youngsters are set to make their debut for Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby at Avondale on Wednesday, but track conditions may scupper plans for one of them.
Gimcrack Winner Bred By Cornerstone
THE "BACKSLAPPING" in the backwaters of the Barossa on Saturday afternoon, paled into insignificance when compared to the celebrations of the connections of SHIKI that won on debut!
OTI Racing officially enters New Zealand market
OTI Racing is officially going trans-Tasman, with the Australian syndicator becoming a licensed New Zealand syndicator this week.
MM Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale Links
Tuesday saw the final breeze ups at the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale which starts on Thursday so here’s our links to useful data including the pinhook report, with most lots having been sold previously.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.