BEAUTY AND THE JOCKEY
BOOM apprentice jockey Adin Thompson thinks Innisfail mare Arnhem Beauty is ready to break through today after two fast-finishing runs over her last two starts.
The talented teenager burst on to the scene of north Queensland racing a fortnight ago, riding two winners with his 3kg apprentice claim.
“Adin is new to me but all reports say he’s a good young fella, and can ride a bit,” Charters Towers trainer Ben Williams said of the apprentice hoop.
While the Renee Schluenztrained Arnhem Beauty was not one of his two winners, the horse flew home to finish second to Samba Rio in her first start since late October.
In that race at Cairns in October, the mare, by Magnus and from Jester Rumble, did the same, catching the eye to run home strongly for third behind eventual winner Voltaic.
Thompson will carry just 51kg this afternoon at Cluden Park and believes the mare’s first win since July 2016 on the Sunshine Coast could be on the cards.
“It went really well the other day from what was expected,” Thompson said.
“I am hoping it goes even better in her second start.”
The smiling apprentice also rides Schluenz’s other runner at Cluden Park this afternoon, Exceedingly Kool, who is shooting for three straight wins, after greeting the judges first on its north Queensland debut earlier this month.
“It has a fairly good chance of doing that again, but it is in a slightly tougher race this time,” Thompson said.
“If it races the same as last time and gets the position it needs, it will be hard to beat.”
Late last year, Thompson became one of the youngest Birdsville Cup-winning jockeys in history.
He is based in Miles, Queensland, with husbandand-wife duo Bevan and Mel Johnson, who co-trained Blue Jest to a victory in the Cup.
“I was not going really well until I went up to Townsville, in terms of riding many winners, but went up there and loved the track,” Thompson said.
“To get two winners and second on a roughie in Arnhem Beauty, I was more than happy with that.”
Thompson takes seven rides from the eight races on offer at Townsville Turf Club this afternoon.
Meanwhile, Cairns trainer Alwyn Bailey takes four chances south to run at Townsville today.
HE SAID IT I WAS NOT GOING REALLY WELL UNTIL I WENT UP TO TOWNSVILLE … BUT WENT UP THERE AND LOVED THE TRACK. ADIN THOMPSON