Oliver banks on alternative career in race game
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday June 26, 2009
AS THE world's developed countries battle economic recession, Caulfield trainer Luke Oliver is pretty pleased that he chose a career in racing rather than following his tertiary studies in the finance sector, although three years ago banking looked a safe bet.After finishing college at De La Salle in Malvern and starting a commerce degree at Monash University overlooking Caulfield racecourse punters would have taken short odds about a young Oliver following a career in business.Those odds would have shortened after a business banking and finance degree led to a job in the deceased estates department of the ANZ Bank.But the stuffy world of banking did not sit right with Oliver. He was unhappy, and despite the urgings of his family to remain in the "safe" world of finance, he contacted Racing Victoria about the chances of a training career."I just had to get into the racing industry somehow," he said. "My grandfather Stanley Oliver was a bookmaker and I grew up to love racing."Eventually Oliver ended up working weekends and then later full-time with James Riley at the Caulfield stables he would inherit after his mentor's retirement. Initially, Riley tried to talk his keen apprentice into returning to the bank, but Oliver's passion for racing won out."I'm not the sort of person to be locked up in an office all day so the horses gave me the opportunity to get out of that environment. I couldn't imagine having stayed there [in finance]," he said.It took a while for Oliver to find his feet. The early seasons were spent on the country circuit chasing wins with hand-me-down stock or moderate home bred's from his early supporters, Kerry and Louise Lee.But in the past 18 months, the 32-year-old has made a name as something of a miracle worker, turning around the careers of horses seemingly past their use-by date.In the autumn of 2007, Oliver paid $3200 for an out-of-form grey named Sensational Toy, and coaxed nine wins out of the mare who, even now when rising nine years of age, continues to race with zest."I thought I could get more out of her and she has really thrived in our care. We just try and keep her happy," he said.Oliver's results over the past year suggest he does a good job of keeping horses happy.As well as his remarkable record with Sensational Toy, the success of city performers Good Red, Ulysses, Determination and Scenic Scene, has seen a number of other tried horses arrive at his stable, their owners hoping the young trainer's unique methods can unearth gold where others have failed."We use a chiropractor and we have a lady who comes and massages the horses once a week. We also use acupuncture to great effect," Oliver said."I can't remember a horse in our stable that has had a tendon injury or a bone chip because we get on top of the muscle problems that contribute to those injuries early."Now well-known on the Melbourne metropolitan scene, Oliver makes no bones about the fact that 2008/09 has been the breakthrough season his emerging stable needed."This is definitely the best season we've had. Last season was good but we have improved in leaps and bounds." Oliver said.He is now attracting better-class horses and more owners, and he actively seeks the best potential talent for his stable.This weekend Oliver will have runners in Melbourne and Adelaide. Diamondsondinside, Handsome Is, and Determination line up at Flemington, and Elmore and Booker Darri at Morphettville. Sensational Toy will run in next week's Winter Championship, where she chases her 10th win for Caulfield's miracle man.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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