1st Winner:- Wrekin Hill (Sedgefield Nov 1991) -------------------------- Gold Cup Win:- 17 years ago today 1998 on Cool Dawn (25/1) https://youtu.be/NFw45iHuGtA
Other Notable Horses:- French Holly, See More Business, Gingembre, Maamur, Kingscliff, Sunray -------------------------- 5 x Broken Collarbones. (1 Now removed!) 1 x Broken Leg (Tibia, Tibia, and Ankle : 2 x plates & 17 screws!) 2 x Left Arm. (1 x plate & 7 screws each time!) 2 x Broken Ribs 1 x Chipped Elbow 1 x Partially ruptured Cruciate Ligament on right knee 1 x Fractured Left Ankle. Continued to ride throughout! ------------------------------
Surely when he reaches 1000 he has to go for one more. More than or over a thousand sounds much better than a thousand. In 100 years time no one will know if over a thousand means 1001 or 1999. Anyway sincerely hopes he makes it soon.
Surely when he reaches 1000 he has to go for one more. More than or over a thousand sounds much better than a thousand. In 100 years time no one will know if over a thousand means 1001 or 1999. Anyway sincerely hopes he makes it soon.
Surely when he reaches 1000 he has to go for one more. More than or over a thousand sounds much better than a thousand.
as bad as me , this is always my way thinking .... just gotta have that bit more ......
Surely when he reaches 1000 he has to go for one more. More than or over a thousand sounds much better than a thousand.as bad as me , this is always my way thinking .... just gotta have that bit more ......
He makes his living from riding horses not from reaching personal targets. Why should he finish just because he reaches a certain number?
He gets paid for every ride. It's how he earns his keep.
He makes his living from riding horses not from reaching personal targets.Why should he finish just because he reaches a certain number?He gets paid for every ride. It's how he earns his keep.
How many rides a week plus a cut of the prize money, minus expenses do you need to make a living?
Hardly. I doubt he's having enough rides to even cover his expenses.What do it for then - the thrill?This was taken from 2011: I don't know what they get now.As a result, jockeys will receive an increase of £2.55 (£109.10) for Flat rides and £3.50
No stone being left unturned. Can't happen soon enough. This is from the RP website:
Thornton bags full Boxing Day book of rides
By Bruce Jackson 7:48AM 24 DEC 2016
ANDREW THORNTON is hoping that his last Boxing Day in the saddle will be one to remember as the jockey, who is two short of his ambition to partner 1,000 winners, has picked up seven rides at Wincanton. After more than 25 years riding, Thornton, 44, is not taking having another winner or two for granted, despite his rare full book, which starts with the Mick Channon-trained hurdling debutant Vive Ma Fille. "I'll take it hurdle by hurdle and fence by fence and not get ahead of myself, but Seamus [Mullins] had three horses for me to ride," said Thornton. "I've ridden for Mick a few times, and Paul [Nicholls] said he'd give me a helping hand." There is a touch of irony and a sense of coming full circle about Thornton landing the ride on The Eaglehaslanded for Nicholls. Thornton explained: "When I was 14 or 15 with Arthur Stephenson I was known as Eddie The Eagle as I didn't have contact lenses in those days and wore glasses. "I was throwing a leg across a horse, Great Law, who was 17.2hh when he bolted and we flattened a post and rails, but I clung on until he put his head down and I went flying. I walked back and the head lad just said, 'Oh well, the Eagle has landed!'" Thornton will not want a repeat of three years ago when he was due to take a strong book of rides at Ffos Las only for the meeting to be cancelled. However, he would not mind seeing a bit of rain to help out a couple of his mounts. "It can't be soft enough for Somchine and Dawson City," he said. Thornton will again have to stint on the family Christmas celebrations as he has to ride at 10st 10lb. But he added: "This will be my last Boxing Day and will be my last season riding, so there's an irony that I'll miss it when I can eat as much as I want."
No stone being left unturned. Can't happen soon enough. This is from the RP website:Thornton bags full Boxing Day book of rides By Bruce Jackson 7:48AM 24 DEC 2016 ANDREW THORNTON is hoping that his last Boxing Day in the saddle will be one to rem
Seven rides around Wincanton at £148.95 a time. That's £1042.65 for a day's work without picking up any prize money.
So much for those who think they do it for the glory.
Like that bookie said to his client, as he took a cheque to settle his losses - ''it's only a bit of fun.''
Seven rides around Wincanton at £148.95 a time. That's £1042.65 for a day's work without picking up any prize money.So much for those who think they do it for the glory.Like that bookie said to his client, as he took a cheque to settle his losses -
"Because he is taller than the average jump jockey, he is forced to ride very low in the stirrups. It is not always attractive to look at but it rarely fails to get the job done.[citation needed]
and
"Along with Tony McCoy, he is probably the strongest jump jockey in a finish.[citation needed]
Citations needed for his wiki page...."Because he is taller than the average jump jockey, he is forced to ride very low in the stirrups. It is not always attractive to look at but it rarely fails to get the job done.[citation needed]and"Along with To
They're trying to tell us that a 44 year old man has as much stamina and strength as a 25 year old.
How much strength has a woman got, and they win enough races.
If it were all down to strength and stamina there would be any older jockeys or women jockeys.
Strength in a finish for Christ's sake.They're trying to tell us that a 44 year old man has as much stamina and strength as a 25 year old.How much strength has a woman got, and they win enough races.If it were all down to strength and stamina there w
Hopefully his final ride will end on a happier note than his first...
"Behind, headway 3 out, close third and ridden when collapsed 100 yards out, dead"
Hopefully his final ride will end on a happier note than his first..."Behind, headway 3 out, close third and ridden when collapsed 100 yards out, dead"
Shocking ride on Vive Ma Fille in the opener at Wincanton just serves to highlight why the Wardrobe is struggling to reach 1000 winners.
Almost any other professional jockey would have offered greater, more effective assistance from the saddle and won the race.
Shocking ride on Vive Ma Fille in the opener at Wincanton just serves to highlight why the Wardrobe is struggling to reach 1000 winners. Almost any other professional jockey would have offered greater, more effective assistance from the saddle and w
Terrific achievement for any jockey to ride 1000 winners. Particularly impressive for the the Wardrobe given how poor he's been these last 5-10 years. Hope he does the sensible thing and now retires.
Terrific achievement for any jockey to ride 1000 winners. Particularly impressive for the the Wardrobe given how poor he's been these last 5-10 years. Hope he does the sensible thing and now retires.
Very well done to him, comes across as polite and articulate, I hope he stops riding now as he has nothing to prove and can enjoy his retirement in one piece
Very well done to him, comes across as polite and articulate, I hope he stops riding now as he has nothing to prove and can enjoy his retirement in one piece
To stay safe he should keep well away from horses! They are dangerous creatures to all associated with them. A friend who bred them injured his back in a fall. His wife who didn't ride injured her back opening a paddock gate and I expect like many of you I have a bad back from years of bad posture sat at a computer. Doctors didn't believe me when I told them that the 'fever of unknown origin' that nearly killed me came from a Hunter Chaser that coughed all over me at Kelso.
To stay safe he should keep well away from horses! They are dangerous creatures to all associated with them. A friend who bred them injured his back in a fall. His wife who didn't ride injured her back opening a paddock gate and I expect like many of
Damn - it's like my teenage lovelife - you spend what feels like forever building up and engineering a relationship and then when the big moment arrives, you miss out on your chance.
Well done Andrew. Hats off.
Damn - it's like my teenage lovelife - you spend what feels like forever building up and engineering a relationship and then when the big moment arrives, you miss out on your chance. Well done Andrew. Hats off.
Well done Andrew Thornton. Have been following him since his days riding Sir Rembrandt and Kingscliff when I first got into racing. Always hoped he'd do well after he was unfairly jocked off The Listener (although the owner had a habit for doing that). Also I won't forget his ride aboard Miko De Beauchene this day a few years ago and the following season (I think) unlucky not to have won a Grand National aboard Simon.
Has there been jockeys on the UK/Ireland jumps scene who have surpassed the 1000 mark? You can't be talking many outside the obvious ones, McCoy, Johnson, Geraghty, Walsh, Carberry?
Well done Andrew Thornton. Have been following him since his days riding Sir Rembrandt and Kingscliff when I first got into racing. Always hoped he'd do well after he was unfairly jocked off The Listener (although the owner had a habit for doing that
Thornton knees up after riding 1,000th winner BY ANDREW KING 7:31PM 26 DEC 2016
CHELTENHAM Gold Cup-winning rider Andrew Thornton finally completed his long and winding road to 1,000 winners at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
The landmark success arrived in extremely fortunate circumstances - though no-one will begrudge the popular veteran a slice of luck.
After a comfortable success on the Seamus Mullins-trained Somchine in the 1m 71/2f handicap chase stablemate Kentford Myth benefitted from the falls of two of her three rivals in the mares' novice chase, enabling Thornton to finally join the 1,000 winners club.
The 44-year-old attempted a Frankie Dettori-style flying dismount to celebrate the milestone but badly twisted his knee before he launched himself into orbit and was subsequently forced to give up his remaining two rides.
Not even the sight of many of his weighing room colleagues who made it to the paddock to cheer their hero back could put a smile on Thornton's face as, grimacing with pain, he managed to weigh in before limping painfully into the medical room.
After treatment Thornton told the Racing Post: "It's been a long and enjoyable road from starting off with legendary Bishop Auckland trainer Arthur Stephenson in 1990, through to Robert Alner, for whom I won the Gold Cup on Cool Dawn in 1998, and now Seamus Mullins, who has got me over the line and been a massive supporter.
Most enjoyable journey
"I've got the 1,000 winners and done my knee in - how ironic? But seriously, I have enjoyed the journey since my first ride on a horse called Brave Ruler at Kelso."
It was the two market leaders Desert Queen, the odds-on favourite, and Antartica De Thaix, when clear at the third-last, who came a cropper in the race to present Thornton with his open goal.
In the race following Kentford Myth's success Thornton had been due to ride Dawson City and his knee injury might have been a blessing in disguise as that race, the Lord Stalbridge Memorial Chase, was marred by a calamitous pile-up at the sixth, which involved eight horses including Dawson City and was declared void after not one of the ten runners finished.
Thornton, reflecting on that, added: "Was somebody up there trying to tell me something?
As to this retirement date - he has already revealed this is his last season, Thornton added: "It's something I have to think about and, make no mistake, I'll be doing just that."
Thornton knees up after riding 1,000th winner BY ANDREW KING 7:31PM 26 DEC 2016 CHELTENHAM Gold Cup-winning rider Andrew Thornton finally completed his long and winding road to 1,000 winners at Wincanton on Boxing Day.The landmark success arrived in
Andrew Thornton reflects on long career with final rides looming at Uttoxeter Tue 5 Jun 2018
Andrew Thornton’s retirement at Uttoxeter on Wednesday will signal the end of an era in weighing rooms up and down the country.
The 1998 Gold Cup-winning jockey is calling it a day following a career in the saddle which saw him ride his first winner way back in 1991 for northern training great Arthur Stephenson.
As well as Cool Dawn in the blue riband, there were two other Cheltenham Festival successes and a raft of other big-race successes.
The Welsh National on Miko De Beauchene, the King George VI Chase on See More Business and the Hennessy Gold Cup on Gingembre mean there is one glaring omission from his CV.
“I think Simon was my best chance of a Grand National winner. He won the Great Yorkshire Chase and the Racing Post Chase, but fell at Valentine’s on the second circuit (at Aintree),” said Thornton.
“I tried my best and I won a Welsh and a Scottish National, but Aintree was the one that got away.”
Thornton has four rides at the Midlands venue, starting with Edward Elgar in the second division of the two-mile handicap hurdle, aptly renamed the Andrew Thornton Congratulations On Your Retirement Handicap Hurdle.
“He’ll have an each-way chance. He has his own ideas, but if he’s on a going day then he’ll have a chance. I’ve been riding for Caroline Bailey for about 10 years and had a few nice wins on Noble Legend for her,” said Thornton.
“Then it’s Amirr for Seamus Mullins. I think I had my first ride for him in 1995, we go back a long way. He’s definitely got a chance on his last run. Back on decent ground and after a break – he’d be my best chance.
“Westerberry would have an each-way chance, she is what she is.
“My last ride is Manhattan Spring and he looks to have Paul Nicholls’ Stradivarius Davis to beat. Saxon Warrior looked a good thing in the Derby, though, so you should never be scared of one!”
He added: “People have been saying some very nice things since I announced it (retirement), but I’ve tried not to read the papers. I will sit down when it is all over and look at it all and then I can appreciate it.”
As for career highlights and memorable rides, there have not surprisingly been plenty in a near 30-year spell.
Many will remember his ride on Kingscliff in 2003 at Ascot, when the reins broke, although Thornton does not see that example of horsemanship as his best effort.
“Everyone talks about that, but once the rein had broken there wasn’t much I could do, I just let him get on with it,” he said.
“I think Mike De Beauchene in the Welsh National was my best, it sticks out because it was emotional. His trainer Robert Alner had had a really bad car accident just six weeks earlier, so it meant a lot.
“I was as vigorous as I’ve ever been on a horse and he answered every question.
“One of the horses I most enjoyed riding was Super Tactics. He got in a white lather, his teeth were grinding and his eyes would be bulging. I called him Mr Angry, he was a one-off and a brave man’s ride. He was very good at Kempton.
“My first Festival ride on Maamur was a winner for Captain (Tim) Forster, he was miles out of the weights but was never going to get beat that day.
“The best I rode was French Holly, who knows what he might have achieved if he hadn’t died early. The day he won the SunAlliance Hurdle at Cheltenham he had the world at his feet.”
Thornton has seen many changes in the game, but reckons the biggest difference is the mindset of the new breed of jockeys.
“I’d say the professionalism of the lads now is the biggest change. The advances in physiotherapy, improvement in diet and fitness – you can’t play at this game or you get found out,” said Thornton.
“I think that was brought about by John Francome. I’ve spanned two eras really, with Francs, Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody and Jamie Osborne passing on to AP (McCoy), Dicky (Richard Johnson) and Timmy Murphy et al.
“I don’t think it will be possible for anyone to match the number AP and Dicky have racked up, simply because there is no trainer as dominant these days.
“James Bowen has a similar style to AP in his younger days, but obviously has a long way to go. I’m a big fan of Nico de Boinville, too – you don’t see many of his rides make mistakes and I think he’s very underrated.”
Andrew Thornton reflects on long career with final rides looming at UttoxeterTue 5 Jun 2018Andrew Thornton’s retirement at Uttoxeter on Wednesday will signal the end of an era in weighing rooms up and down the country.The 1998 Gold Cup-winning jock