Len “Mick” Dittman

Mick Dittman was born and raised in central Queensland but was apprenticed to Bill Kraft on the Gold Coast in the mid-1960s. An outstanding apprentice he rode his first feature winner on Red Shah in the 1968 Gold Coast Newmarket (now the Goldmarket).

His first Group win came the next year in the Ipswich Cup aboard Makata. Dittman finished his apprenticeship with Pat Duff in Brisbane and rode the first of his 88 Group 1 winners in the 1972 Doomben Cup on Knee High. He dominated Brisbane racing in the 1970s winning five premierships and setting a record for most wins in a season at 97 and a half.

Mick also rode a record six winners and one second on a seven event program at Eagle Farm on Melbourne Cup day, November 1 1977. He would have taken out the entire card if not for apprentice Dan McLeod winning that seventh race by a head on No Hassle at 11-2 over Dittman on Strong James at 1-3.

A regular at the big southern carnivals in the 1970s and early 1980s, Dittman moved to Sydney in the mid-1980s where he became number one rider for the Tommy Smith stable. He won the Sydney premiership three times. Dittman was renowned for his powerful style and was nicknamed "The Enforcer". Many a win in a race was credited to Mick's never say die attitude and his power in the saddle – he could physically lift them over the line.

There is no doubt had Mick been as adventurous as some of his predecessors and travelled overseas he would have an even more impressive record. He loved his native Queensland and would only entertain mounts interstate during the big carnivals. One essay south early in his career was to link as an apprentice to Sydney trainer Bede Horan. He didn't like the lifestyle and soon returned to his beloved Queensland. One can only imagine what his record would have been had he linked with T.J. Smith earlier in his career. Dittman rode with success through the 1990s before retiring to become a bloodstock agent in Singapore. He later returned to live on the Gold Coast. He best wins included:

MELBOURNE CUP: Gurner's Lane

CAULFIELD CUP: Sydeston

COX PLATE: Red Anchor, Strawberry Road

GOLDEN SLIPPER: Full on Aces, Bounding Away, Bint Marscay

VRC DERBY: Grosvenor, Red Anchor

CHAMPAGNE STAKES: Bounding Away, Triscay

AJC DERBY: Strawberry Road, Research

AJC OAKS: Bounding Away, Research, Mahaya

AJC SIRES': Comely Girl, Full on Aces

ROSEHILL GUINEAS: Deck The Halls, Strawberry Road, Alibhai

BMW STAKES: Kaaptive Edition, Sydeston, Alibhai, Our Cavalier

EPSOM: Kinjite

DOOMBEN CUP: Knee High, Cheyne Walk

DOOMBEN 10,000: Craigola, Sovereign Red, Lord Ballina, Chief de Beers

BRISBANE CUP: Igloo

MARLBORO CLASSIC (T.J. SMITH): Scomeld, Just A Printer, Mossman

VRC OAKS: Scomeld, Research

BLUE DIAMOND STAKES: Aare, Bounding Away

VRC SIRES: Full on Aces

VRC NEWMARKET: Eulonda Bay, Primacy

QTC DERBY: Cheyne Walk, Strawberry Road, Turridu

QTC OAKS: A Little Kiss

QTC SIRES': Definate

WATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY: All Ashore, Key Dancer, Wonder Dancer

AJC METROPOLITAN: Natski, Te Akau Nick

VRC LIGHTNING: Mahogany

AUSTRALIAN CUP: Veandercross

SYDNEY CUP: Azzam

BTC CUP: Chief de Beers

COOLMORE CLASSIC: Skating

ORR STAKES: Primacy

FUTURITY STAKES: Primacy

Mick Dittman's non-Group 1 feature wins in Queensland include: Healy Stakes (Amberdue), O'Shea Stakes (Prince Majestic), QTC St Leger (Platonic), QTC Lightning (Amberdue), Barnes Plate (Amby's Love, Analie), Exhibition Handicap (Amby's Love, Vale Boy, Eshowee, Dashalong), Bernborough Stakes (Chief de Beers), Defence Force Cup (Desert Chill), Ahern Stakes (Definate, Maryvale Boy), Albion Park Cup (Bois Boulang), Doomben Newmarket (Chateauroux, Bengalla Lad), Eye Liner Stakes (Havaspot, Don't Rush), Goldmarket (Red Shah, Justincase, All Ashore, Christole, Roulette), Ipswich Cup (Makata, Skyperion, He'll Do), Meynink Stakes (Noted Prince, True to Label, Vains Best), McDougall Stakes (Smokey's Style, Scotian Belle), Ascot Handicap (Vif, Paravane), QTC Cup (Winters Dance), City Handicap (Ascot Bridge, Just James), Frazer Handicap (Setaria), QTC Toorak (Court Rush), Hart Stakes (Groucho), Eagle Farm Stakes (Ricochet Rosie), Queensland Cup (Insecure), Grand Prix (Conair, Stargazer), Courier Mail Classic (Mr Innocent), Lord Mayors' Cup (Comrade), Sandgate Handicap (Dashalong).