Racing: Winners flow from Oliver's new base

Apprentice jockey Josh Oliver is apprenticed to local trainer Brian McKegg. Photo / John Borren

In a throwback to the past, where racing writers wrote under a byline named after some of the best horses to race in the country, the monthly Turf Talk is penned under the nom de plume Final Command. Trained by veteran horseman Paddy Abbott in Tauranga, Final Command’s star shone brightly for just two seasons in the early 1960s, reaching the heights of a group one winner as a 3-year-old.

Far from the big thoroughbred racing training centres in the country, a young Tauranga apprentice jockey is rocketing up the apprentice ranks, from virtual obscurity less than 12 months ago.

Hamilton-born Josh Oliver drifted into racing around four years ago, mainly because of his diminutive size and because the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson stables were not far from his home.

While his mother had been involved with horses some two decades previously, young Oliver had never been on a horse's back prior joining the Rogerson stable.

Initially, life before and after school at the Rogerson stables, was mucking out the boxes and the other mundane chores of a racing stable. As time went on Oliver showed a keenness to learn and came under the wing of Debbie Rogerson who taught him the fundamentals of riding a racehorse, before he graduated to riding trackwork from the Rogerson barn.

The aspiring jockey signed his apprentice papers six months before leaving school.

During his time in the Rogerson stable, Oliver received his first big thrill in racing.

"At just my third race day ride, Rogie put me on Bijoux at Taranaki and we were so far back at the 800 that we were out of shot of the Trackside cameras," Oliver said.

"Getting to the home turn I gave the horse a kick and she took off to rattle home through the middle to give me my first winner.

"Being in a big stable, I was well down the pecking order and was receiving few rides, so after 18 months I started looking for new opportunities."

A transfer of papers to a Te Puke trainer around 18 months ago, resulted in Oliver travelling to the Gate Pa course in Tauranga, to ride trackwork. At that stage of his career the young apprentice jockey had ridden just a handful of winners.

During the time of his commute to ride fast work, local Tauranga trainer Brian McKeagg was looking for a replacement trackwork rider.

"Our stable needed a track work rider and Josh was looking to transfer to a bigger centre to get more opportunities, so in February of this year Josh transferred his indentures to me," said McKeagg.

Oliver's permanent move to Tauranga coincided with rich vein of form from the McKeagg team. On March 12, Oliver kicked home The Link for McKeagg, followed by Running Scared and On Parole also from the stable.

With fresh enthusiasm, Oliver finished last season with six winners to his credit.

Another highlight was winning the most improved apprentice jockey award for the 2013/14 season at the Waikato Apprentice School. Sydney superstar jockey James McDonald is a previous winner.

The extent that Oliver's career has taken off is shown by his workload last week.

Tuesday trials at Matamata were followed by race rides at Avondale, Woodville and Tauranga on successive days, with another good book at Rotorua on Saturday.

Just ten weeks into the new season, Oliver has ridden 10 winners to sit in fifth place on the national apprentice jockeys' table.