Bright future tipped for apprentice hoop
EVERY so often there are apprentice riders who will make trips to FNQ who are obviously on the way to bigger and better things in their career.
Right now, that emerging hoop is Marnu Potgieter.
Just like Adin Thompson was a year or so ago and Chelsea Jokic before that, making regular trips north to hone their skills and get more opportunities, Potgieter has shown in a short period of time he is a jockey on the way up.
Potgieter, who claims three kilograms in the bush, bookended Saturday’s non-TAB program at Tolga, riding winners for local trainer Sharlee D’Avila in the first and final race.
The South African-born hoop announced himself as a star of the future in June after booting home a quartet of winners at Mackay in a midweek meeting.
A leading FNQ trainer recently remarked how impressed they were with Potgieter’s attitude to his career, regularly chasing rides, his willingness to drive long hours in the car for a meeting, something that trainer’s own stable riders would never do.
The 28-year-old, speaking on the drive home to Mackay from Atherton yesterday morning, is pleased his hard work is paying off since his move to Australia just over three years ago.
“It is a long way for me to travel, and to get the result and winners is great, seeing as I rode at Rockhampton on Friday as well,” Potgieter said.
“It is a long way for me to come, it is a bit of a stretch this week.
“I only had a few rides back in South Africa, they were more amateur races than what we have here.
“I am really enjoying being back riding.”
He started his apprenticeship in South Africa, before giving up riding and becoming an assistant trainer back home and then in Melbourne, when he first moved to Australia. He has since returned to riding now based in Mackay.
“My weight is more settled now as I have matured, so I can ride a lot easier now,” he says.
Potgieter will look to keep the ball rolling with a solid book of rides from the sugar city on Tuesday as well.
As is always the case, the locals dominated the Tolga meeting with all five winners trained on the track.
Meanwhile, the Cairnsowned Inquiry ran a big race in Friday’s Rockhampton Newmarket despite his heavy weight and wide draw.
Carrying 61.5kg and from barrier 13, Inquiry led the field into the straight before tiring to finish sixth, almost four lengths behind the winner.
Doctor Zous, trained by Darryl Hansen, claimed the Newmarket and is a chance to travel north throughout the upcoming north Queensland carnival, as is Rockhampton Cup winner Absolut Artie for trainer Ricky Vale.
IT IS A LONG WAY FOR ME TO TRAVEL, AND TO GET THE RESULT AND WINNERS IS GREAT, SEEING AS I RODE AT ROCKHAMPTON ON FRIDAY AS WELL. MARNU POTGIETER