Thompson getting into the groove
The young in-form Australian jockey's first Kranji treble takes his season's tally to five winners
Young Australian jockey Ben Thompson's Kranji career sort of got off to a rather slow start but things are going to change after he showed his mettle with his well-ridden treble.
Licensed for one year by the Singapore Turf Club, off the back of a successful Group 2-winning cameo in the EW Barker Trophy aboard the Cliff Brown-trained Mister Yeoh, Thompson had got onto the scoresheet on only two occasions earlier - aboard Black Jade and Be Bee.
But, in one fell swoop last Friday night, the 22-year-old's stock has risen considerably following his first Kranji treble - thanks to Corsa D'Oro and Dark Necessities, both trained by Donna Logan, and the Brown-trained Don De La Vega.
Racegoers will now take notice as he seems to have "acclimatised" and is picking up the winning momentum in a rush.
"It's my first treble here and it's also a bit special that two of them came for Donna,"said an elated Thompson.
"I didn't know her or (assistant trainer) Graeme Forbes when I came here, but I've been riding trackwork a fair bit for them lately.
"It's also very satisfying as I did ride both horses in trackwork. It's great to be associated with them behind the scenes and see them win.
"Dark Necessities is quite a fierce racer, but he was fast out in front and I was happy with the way he was travelling."
Based on his sparkling pre-debut trial form at Kranji, the Pins four-year-old was widely expected to put up a bold show when well supported at his first outing in an Open Maiden race over 1,000m on Jan 6, but he floundered after showing the way.
He did have excuses, though, as he returned with a cut on his off hind leg. Logan backed him off, and a much more settled Dark Necessities ($54 for a win) was able to turn his fortunes around in the Cancham Cup, another Open Maiden race over 1,000m.
A four-year-old by Medaglia d'Oro, Corsa D'Oro ($56) seemed to be plodding away for at best a third place at the 300m mark of the Scotiabank Cup, a 1,400m race for maidens.
The race was being fought out between Heart Of Courage (Vlad Duric) and Sacred Tonic (Benny Woodworth), with the former soon striking the front for what looked like the clincher.
But a very tenacious Thompson did not give up on Corsa D'Oro, who eventually rallied with a late lunge to nab Heart Of Courage right on the line.
A nose was the official margin, with Sacred Tonic a short head away in third.
Licensed by Racing Victoria in Australia, Thompson began his riding career in May 2014. He was first indentured to former Kranji-based trainer Mick Kent before moving to Cranbourne trainer Allan Williams a year later.
In the space of four years, the son of greyhound trainer Jason Thompson earned his stripes among the top echelon of apprentice jockeys in Victoria. He claimed the 2016/17 Victorian Apprentice Rising Stars Series and has ridden about 300 winners, outriding his metropolitan claim lastFebruary.
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