Luke Rolls at Rosehill 17/08/2024 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
There’s no busier jockey in northern NSW than Wauchope based Luke Rolls, an expat Kiwi who drives huge mileage to honour commitments at northern rivers and tablelands tracks. Between the recording of this podcast on Thursday April 3rd and its posting on Wednesday April 9th, Luke has added another five winners to his season tally - a win on Fox Reign at Taree on Saturday, a double at Tuncurry on Monday courtesy of Gandolfini and Dis Is Heaven and another double yesterday at Ballina per medium of Vocation and Octavio. Born and reared in Fielding on New Zealand’s North Island, Luke was initially apprenticed to Bruce Marsh at Foxton. He transferred to a Victorian stable in the early 2000’s and his subsequent journey has produced an impressive tally of more than 760 winners. Luke begins our chat by talking about his move to the NSW mid north coast with Cassie Schmidt, the lady destined to become his wife. He says hard work was the only way to go in the first few years.
The jockey takes us through a normal day in his life. Few jockeys ride more trackwork than Luke Rolls.
Luke says he has to keep an eye on the clock when he has commitments at a faraway meeting. The constant travelling is the toughest part of his job.
He acknowledges the ongoing support of a special group of northern trainers.
Luke takes us back to early days on the farm at Fielding NZ. Horse racing wasn’t on his radar.
He admits he was more intent on becoming an All Black than a professional jockey.
Luke looks back on his initial apprenticeship to top trainer Bruce Marsh. He’d never been on a horse.
He looks back on his first race ride. He finished second but says the horse should have won.
Luke hasn’t forgotten his first winning ride. It turned out to be his one and only NZ winner.
He talks of a transfer to a Victorian stable when Bruce Marsh landed a contract to train in Singapore.
The jockey remembers a happy 18 months with Terry O’Sullivan at Stawell and the handful of winners he rode on country tracks.
Luke admits he suddenly lost interest in racing after the Victorian stint. He went to Sydney with mates and landed a job as a welder.
He looks back on a return to NZ and a job with Affco Abbatoirs. That job generated an opportunity to work in rural Queensland which didn’t work out. Next step was another meatworks job on the Gold Coast.
Finally, the lure of the thoroughbred prompted him to give riding another crack. A newspaper advertisement led him to a job with a Gold Coast trainer.
Luke was thrilled to win a race at Ballina soon after returning to race riding.
He talks of a tremendous winning run on the Gold Coast which yielded a local apprentices premiership.
Luke remembers a growing interest in his services from Brisbane stables. He’s never forgotten his first trip to the metropolitan winner’s circle. In fact, it happened twice on the day.
He talks of the jockey who became a formidable rival on the Gold Coast and of the day he rode the first four winners on the programme.
Luke looks back on his only ride in a Gr 1 race. He was flown to Sydney by Queensland owners to handle a lightweight in The Galaxy of 2009. For one thrilling moment at the 200m he thought the race was in his keeping.
He talks of an Eagle Farm win on a horse destined to win a Gr 1 down the track.
Luke acknowledges the successful riding career of wife Cassie despite a torturous battle with weight. When she opted to relocate from the Gold Coast to her native Wauchope he elected to go with her. Cassie’s “dream job” came along soon after.
He says nobody was surprised when Cassie decided on a training career. Her first win came not long after gaining her licence and Luke Rolls was the jockey.
Luke talks of his marriage to Cassie and the successful trainer/jockey combination they’ve developed.
It’s a nice chat with a Kiwi born jockey who preferred motor bikes to horses in his early days at Fielding.
(Banner image - Luke finished 3rd on Gold Trail (yellow and black colours) in the 2009 Galaxy at his only Gr. 1 ride. Winner was Nicconi with Danleigh (outside) second - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)
Luke won’t forget this narrow win on Gulf Of Tomini at Grafton - Cassie’s first training success - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Luke and Cassie have won many more races together since Gulf Of Tomini’s Grafton success - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Here’s another winner for the husband and wife team. Luke wins on Kobeytera at Port Macquarie on March 29 - courtesy Trackside Photography.
After a win on Reward’s Daughter for great supporter Jeremy Sylvester at Muswellbrook 13/01/2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.