Sunshine Coast jockey Trudy Thornton will be hoping it’s third time lucky as she strives for her first Darwin win when she returns to the Top End this weekend.
Thornton, 61, has appeared at the past two meetings for three thirds aboard Missed Victory on June 22 and Fierce Legend and Yaki Ishi last weekend for Victorian trainer Neil Dyer.
The former New Zealand jockey, who started riding in the late 1990s and relocated to Queensland late last year, has five rides at Fannie Bay on Saturday, which is also Day 1 of the Darwin Cup Carnival.
With several Darwin jockeys sidelined, Thornton headed to the NT on the invitation of Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole.
“It has been an absolute honour to be up there, I’m thoroughly enjoying it, it’s been good,” she said.
“The people are lovely and the jockeys are great, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity.
“I enjoy riding on the track and to get that first win would be awesome.
“I’d love to stay for the weekend in Darwin, but I’ve got commitments here at Caloundra riding for the Kerry Taplin stable.
“I’m pretty much their main trackwork rider, I don’t like leaving them in the lurch as they’ve been good to me.
“I actually don’t leave for Darwin until Friday night before heading back to Brisbane early Sunday morning.
“I managed to miss my flight last Friday – that was an error of judgement on my behalf.”
Thornton, who boasts 572 wins and 1,623 minor placings from 10,022 starts, hails from Cambridge – 150km south of Auckland – and continues to enjoy life in the saddle.
She is a multiple Group 1-winning rider, who has also visited and ridden in Australia in the past.
“I’ve been riding for a long time, but I still love it – I love riding and I love the horses,” Thornton said.
“I have that competitive streak in me, it’s something that I don’t know if I’ll ever lose.
“I’ve been wanting to come to Australia honestly forever.
“My children have grown up, I’ve just managed to sell my property back home and so this is where I’m going to situate myself for the foreseeable future.”
Thronton is the mother of Brisbane-based jockey Samantha Collett.
“Riding for Neil Dyer up in Darwin, his horses are always well presented and well behaved,” she said.
“He’s a really nice guy to ride for, so it has been very rewarding really and I much appreciate the opportunity, as well as the chance to ride for other trainers.”
NT jockeys Paul Shiers and Wayne Davis are sidelined with injury and Stan Tsaikos and Ianish Luximon are suspended, but Adam Nicholls finally returns from injury on Saturday.
Interstate trainers and jockeys on deck for the 10-race meeting at Fannie Bay on Saturday are as follows.
Trainers: Dyer (Kyneton), Peter Robl (Gold Coast), John Peacock (Murray Bridge), Heather Lehmann (Murray Bridge), Kym Healy (Strathalbyn), Andrew Perdon (Sale)
Jockeys: Thornton (Sunshine Coast), Noel Callow (Gold Coast), Jasper Franklin (Gold Coast), Thomas Doyle (Ballarat), Mark Pegus (Stawell), Alan Kennedy (Medina, WA), Jason Maskiell (Moe)
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