TALENTED Tasmanian-based apprentice Boris Thornton rode his first metropolitan winner in Melbourne on Saturday when he partnered Crafty Cruiser to a game win in a heat of the Banjo Paterson stayers series over 2500 metres.
It was only Thornton’s second ride on a metropolitan track having finished second aboard Crafty Cruiser at the same venue last month.
Thornton has been riding in Tasmania since early this year and was originally on a three-month loan to Spreyton trainer Adam Trinder.
But the young rider opted to have his indentures transferred to Trinder to make the move more permanent.
Thornton has made quite an impact on riding ranks as he has accrued 28 winners to be the leading claiming apprentice and sits fifth on the overall jockeys’ premiership standings.
While his efforts in Tasmania have been pleasing his first metropolitan win was special.
“I am still pumped after riding my first metro winner because it is something that I have wanted to achieve for a long time,” Thornton said.
“I love riding in Tasmania and that’s why I made the move more permanent but there’s definitely something special about winning a race at Flemington,” he said.
Thornton will be back in Victoria on Wednesday to ride Sun Disk for his Tasmanian master in a benchmark 70 over 2000 metres.
“I’m looking forward to riding Sun Disk at Ballarat and hopefully we can get the desired result,” Thornton said.
Photo courtesy of racing.com.
By Peter Staples