Luke Dittman wins in Flemington debut

Sunday 4 October 2015, 6:50pm

Luke Dittman has made the most of his first Flemington race ride, winning a Listed event aboard Queenslander Worthy Cause at the track where his famous father won a Melbourne Cup on Gurner's Lane.

The son of former champion jockey Mick Dittman, Luke was given the opportunity by Sunshine Coast trainer John Zielke to make the trip to ride Worthy Cause in Sunday's Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).

The apprentice made the most of the chance in guiding the horse to an all-the-way win.

"It was my first ride down here, so I'm over the moon," Dittman said.

"Especially on this horse. I rode him two starts ago up in Queensland and won on him there, and then to come down here and do the same in a Listed race is just magical."

Zielke said he had the utmost confidence in Dittman.

"He's a good kid," he said.

"He and the horse seem to get on extremely well."

Dittman had a good chat with his father leading into Sunday's meeting.

"I went over it three or four times and did all the speed maps with him and that kind of thing," Dittman said.

"He was a big influence and helped me go around today."

Worthy Cause ($7) and Turn Me Loose ($9.50) staged a battle down the straight as they cleared out from the rest of the field.

Worthy Cause held off Turn Me Loose by a half-head with three lengths to favourite Lord Aspen ($3.30) third.

Zielke Worthy Cause would head to the Group Two Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley and then the Emirates Stakes.

– AAP

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