It was a mixed weekend for Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde, with smart mare Queen Christine bleeding at Flemington on Saturday but promising filly Divine Eruption winning first up at Bendigo on Sunday.
Having just her second start, Divine Eruption ($4.60) came from behind the pace under Daniel Stackhouse to win her 1300-metre maiden.
Wilde said he’d always had a high opinion of Divine Eruption, who earned $37,275 including VOBIS bonuses with Sunday’s win.
“I think with a bit of time she’ll develop into a handy horse,” he said. 
“We’ll see how she pulls up but we may look for a race over the spring.”
Wilde parted with $100,000 to purchase Divine Eruption at the 2025 Inglis Premier yearling sale. 
Queen Christine, who’d won three races in a row earlier in her campaign, was unplaced in benchmark 78 company last Saturday.
Stewards detected blood in both nostrils and imposed the mandatory three-month ban on the four-year-old Earthlight mare, who’s had 12 starts overall for four wins and $129,640 in earnings.
Luke’s sore but grateful
Veteran Warrnambool hoop Luke Williams has described himself as “pretty lucky” after arriving home from hospital after a race fall at Coleraine on Friday September 25.
Williams, 52, fell from Sundaytoofaraway in a maiden plate and was taken to Hamilton hospital before being airlifted to Melbourne’s Epworth.
X-rays revealed the 52-year-old had broken his left arm in two places and broken a bone in his left ankle. He also sustained four broken ribs.
Williams underwent an operation on Tuesday September 29 and arrived back home last Friday.
“It’s great to be back home,” he said this week. “My injuries could have been a lot worse. 
“I must admit I was in a fair bit of pain for a few days, especially after the operation, but everything’s right now. 
“I’ve suffered various injuries in my career but this ranks up there with the most painful. 
“Years ago I got a compound fracture of my right leg in a trackwork fall and a punctured lung on another occasion. They were very sore. 
“The strange thing is I’ve had more trackwork falls than race falls. This was only the second in my career and the first was about 20 years ago.”
Williams said he’d received first-class medical treatment following the fall.
“Jockeys are lucky to have such a great insurance policy through Racing Victoria. Personally, I want to thank all the medical people who attended me. 
“My doctor has told me not to do anything for a fortnight before going back to see the surgeon on Wednesday October 14. I suppose I’ll start doing rehab after that.”
Williams, who holds a dual trainer-jockey licence, has 14 horses in work at his on-course Warrnambool stables and is thankful for the support he’s received since his fall.
“My staff have been amazing and there have been plenty of other people there willing to help out with the horses,” he said. 
“The racing industry is wonderful to be involved in. There are always people there to help in your time of need.”
Williams’s fellow jockey Will Gordon was also involved in the fall at Coleraine but was uninjured.