VICTORIAN apprentice Boris Thornton earned maximum points for his home state when he guided race favourite Geegees Soprano to an emphatic win in the National Apprentices Series race at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.
Geegees Soprano carried top weight in the BM62 event over 1200 metres but he made light of the task as Thornton put him in a position to strike entering the home straight And when he asked the Stuart Gandy-trained gelding for the big effort the flashy chestnut let down brilliantly to go on and score convincingly from He’s Applz (Rhonda Mangan – Tasmania) and race leader Savvy Princess (Emma Stent – WA).
Gandy was thrilled with the win.
“I thought he got into the race well at the weights with Boris’ claim (3kg),” Gandy said.
“The horse has been racing well in this grade and just needed a good ride to win And he got that from Boris,” he said.
Thornton was thrilled about winning the apprentices feature race.
“I knew I was on the best horse in the race and I just had to ride him like he was and that’s pretty much how it panned out,” Thornton said.
“It’s great to win the feature race and I am sure this horse will keep winning.”
“He is quite courageous and has a really good turn of foot,” he said.
Thornton finished the meeting with a double courtesy of partnering Alsa Doll to victory in the last race on the eight-event card, the Foot and Playsted Social Club Maiden/Class 1 over 2100m.
The talented young rider is on loan to Spreyton trainer Adam Trinder.