The ‘Babe’ back in the saddle at 66
Giving up the drink and German machinery have helped a riding legend back into the saddle at the age of 66.
Former star international jockey Brent Thomson has been riding work for top trainer Ciaron Maher for the last few weeks after spending 24 years without riding a horse. Thomson said he once had no ambition to again ride a horse after retiring following a brilliant career in New Zealand, Australia and across the globe.
But he said giving up alcohol had changed his world view while a fitness regime improved his physical condition, convincing Thomson he could ride work.
“I haven’t had a drink for 17 months and don’t intend to again,” Thomson said. “In that 17 months, your thought process changes quite drastically and it opens certain avenues to other areas of life. The basics of riding again is sobriety.
“I do a thing called Kieser Training. It’s a German fitness program and it’s all based on machines. I’ve done that for some time and I started that because of older injuries.
ALBURY
Race 1: 8 The Cast Off $7.80 $2.10 3 Dreamstone $1.80 2 Batahi $2.70. Q: $16.00. E: $37.50. T: $189.90. A2: 8-3: $5.60, 8-2: $9.10, 3-2: $6.70. FIRST 4: (8 3 2 6) $465.10. Scr: 7.
Race 2: 5 Imposing Tallulah $1.60 $1.00 7 Bridget Rose $3.90 2 Kurokaren $1.40. Q: $27.00. E: $37.70. T: $85.80. A2: 5-7: $7.20, 5-2: $1.40, 7-2: $8.40. FIRST 4: (5 7 2 4) $526.60. All Started.
Race 3: 6 Dusty’s Reward $7.80 $2.30 1 Dancer One $1.50 10 Mayfair Hotel $2.20. Q: $28.10. E: $36.30. T: $305.80. A2: 6-1: $6.90, 6-10: $7.00, 1-10: $4.40. FIRST 4: (6 1 10 12) $603.00. Scr: 3,11.
“It’s all about strength and all about the core without banging on about it too much.”
Thomson regained the riding bug after riding one of Maher’s horses at a Melbourne beach in the spring.
The four-time Cox Platewinning rider said he increased his efforts, including securing a Racing Victoria trackwork rider’s licence, once his busiest period of the year passed.
Thomson said he now rides multiple horses when he is at Fingal but will ride work at the hectic Cranbourne Training Centre in the coming weeks. “The most I’ve done at Fingal in a morning is four,” Thomson said.
“I’ve done three but they have three or four work riders there. At the moment, I’m just riding nice, quiet horses and it’s been most enjoyable. I did all the right protocols with Racing Victoria in terms of riding out.
“That means I can ride out at Cranbourne and in maybe a week or two weeks, I might be riding slow work on the track.”
However, he ruled out any comeback to race riding, preferring to hop on horses in early mornings for pleasure.
Race 4: 9 Princess Halo $18.10 $4.90 2 Noble Nightowl $2.60 8 Jukebox Flyer $2.80. Q: $70.80. E: $167.20. T: $1,018.10. A2: 9-2: $21.20, 9-8: $30.90, 2-8: $12.10. FIRST 4: (9 2 8 3) $1,227.20. Scr: 7.
Race 5: 6 Bobotov $10.40 $3.20 5 Amen Brother $2.80 4 New Jersey $1.60. Q: $53.20. E: $50.80. T: $539.90. A2: 6-5: $15.90, 6-4: $9.10, 5-4: $10.10. FIRST 4: (6 5 4 3) $3,662.80. All Started.
EARLY QUADDIE: 8 The Cast Off 5 Imposing Tallulah 6 Dusty’s Reward 9 Princess Halo $1,192.80.
SUB: 6 5 12 3.
ARMIDALE
Race 1: 3 My Mate Laney $5.20 $1.90 1 Devoted Deputy $2.90 2 He Is The Kiss $3.50. Q: $18.80. E: $59.60. T: $135.10. A2: 3-1: $10.90, 3-2: $8.60, 1-2: $13.40. FIRST 4: (3 1 2 7) $605.20. Scr: 6,11,12,13,9(L).
Race 2: 11 Rethink It $7.50 $2.10 10 Prince Carlos $1.50 1 Daytona Demon $1.00. Q: $17.90. E: $32.60. T: $99.70. A2: 11-10: $5.20, 11-1: $3.30, 10-1: $2.60. FIRST 4: (11 10 1 8) $225.50. Scr: 4,5,6,13,15,3(L),12(L).
Race 3: 4 Mindspace $3.40 $1.50 7 Jacinda Belle $3.40 5 Bill Peyto $1.30. Q: $31.10. E: $48.10.
T: $160.20. A2: 4-7: $7.40, 4-5: $2.70, 7-5: $9.90. FIRST 4: (4 7 5 1) $468.90. Scr: 2,6.
Race 4: 2 Agnodice $3.30 $1.30 10 Global Sensation $2.20 8 Master Of Rewards $1.70. Q: $10.60. E: $22.60. T: $78.40. A2: 2-10: $5.10, 2-8: $2.50, 10-8: $5.50. FIRST 4: (2 10 8 1) $528.50. Scr: 3,5,7,15,17.
Race 5: 3 Bold Hoi Ho $5.30 $2.10 6 Quick As A Flash $1.40 8 Kalahari Heart $2.10. Q: $8.60. E: $16.00. T: $68.00. A2: 3-6: $3.60, 3-8: $5.90, 6-8: $4.10. FIRST 4: (3 6 8 12) $567.50. All Started.
EARLY QUADDIE: 3 My Mate Laney 11 Rethink It 4 Mindspace 2 Agnodice $679.10.
SUB: 7 1 3 2.
BAIRNSDALE
Race 1: 1 Bit Of Oz $2.60 $1.20 3 Sergeant Mavers $1.20 5 Star Of Kongo $1.40. Q: $3.30. E: $7.50. T: $15.60. A2: 1-3: $1.50, 1-5: $2.00, 3-5: $1.90. FIRST 4: (1 3 5 8) $27.00. All Started.
Race 2: 6 Zapurple Groove $8.20 $2.30 9 Tosinsky $1.60 10 What A Cross $1.30. Q: $14.10. E: $36.70. T: $82.30. A2: 6-9: $5.10, 6-10: $4.00, 9-10: $2.60. FIRST 4: (6 9 10 14) $285.80. Scr: 12.
Race 3: 13 Saufiana $26.40 $6.10 4 Coffin Dodger $1.40 2 Hurricane Ketut $1.90. Q: $75.10. E: $205.90. T: $1,865.70. A2: 13-4: $17.40, 13-2: $31.40, 4-2: $3.70. FIRST 4: (13 4 2 14) $3,786.90. Scr: 12,11(L).
Race 4: 12 Mount Dove $7.10 $2.10 6 Heartattack Jack $2.30 1 Angerstein $4.40. Q: $51.40. E: $53.20. T: $1,520.80. A2: 12-6: $9.90, 12-1: $31.20, 6-1: $13.40. FIRST 4: (12 6 1 7) $5,629.00. Scr: 8,11,5(L).
Race 5: 7 Our Silver Linings $5.00 $1.70 8 Tornado’s Sister $1.40 10 Doctor Coto $1.80. Q: $9.30. E: $15.10. T: $77.00. A2: 7-8: $4.40, 7-10: $5.20, 8-10: $4.90. FIRST 4: (7 8 10 3) $434.20. Scr: 2,5,6,9.
Race 6: 4 Superset $5.10 $1.90 3 Kerensky $2.80 6 Shooter McGavin $2.20. Q: $23.80. E: $27.90. T: $255.60. A2: 4-3: $9.70, 4-6: $5.20, 3-6: $12.20. FIRST 4: (4 3 6 12) $540.10. Scr: 8,11,13,14,15,16.
EARLY QUADDIE: 1 Bit Of Oz 6 Zapurple Groove 13 Saufiana 12 Mount Dove $2,510.80.
SUB: 3 10 7 4 .