Fit body is a weight off Luke’s mind

GOLD Coast jockey Luke Dittman is slowly winning his battle with his weight as he continues his comeback from injury at Aquis Park today.

Dittman only returned to race riding on January 25 after being off the scene since Melbourne Cup Day last year with a back injury.

His weight blew out to 61kg but he has successfully started to trim that back and will ride the Gary Doughty-trained Dansdale at 56.5kg in the Maiden Plate (1400m).

The Gold Coast premiershipwinning jockey said he was riding at 55.5kg before he was forced on to the sidelines for a couple of months and hopes he will be able to get back to that weight on a regular basis.

“My normal riding weight would be about 56kg, 55.5kg. I got a little bit heavy while I was off and I am just trying to get back down,” he said.

“I am gradually taking those lower-weighted rides and hopefully will maintain a 55.5kg, 56kg weight. At the moment it is going well.”

Dittman, 28, said his injured back was good and he was feeling fit since he resumed riding.

He posted a winning double at the Gold Coast on February 1 on Dixon Bay for Gold Coast trainer Gillian Heinrich and on Bambalam for Deagon trainer Pat Duff and is hoping the winning momentum will continue today.

“I crushed a vertebra in my back and was out for about two months. It is good now but is obviously something I have to keep an eye on,” Dittman said.

“It is holding up well and I have had a bit of luck since I have come back.”

“I feel good, I am fit and I and just glad to be back.”

As well as Dansdale, Dittman will be aboard Barbican (58.5kg) for Gold Coast trainer Alicia Willick in the Maiden Handicap (1800m) and on the Robert Heathcote-trained Let’s Conquer, who is weighted on 57kg in the QTIS Three-YearOld Maiden Plate (1200m).

The Brisbane-trained Let’s Conquer will be having his first run back since finishing second in a 1640m Doomben ThreeYears-Old Maiden on October 16 and the three-year-old looks to be Dittman’s best chance of finding the winner’s stall again at Aquis Park today.

“It was a good little pick up to ride Let’s Conquer. He will probably be my best ride for the day,” Dittman said.

SEE WHERE THE MONEY WAS WON — AND LOST— IN LADBROKES’ WRAP Monday’s Bulletin