Written by Georgie Dennis
It has been just over a year and a-half since Stephanie Thornton up and left her friends and family to continue her career in Queensland in search of better opportunities, and as she heads into Saturday’s Magic Millions Raceday with a number of good rides, she said the move is the best thing she could have done for her career.
Thornton departed the Victorian jockey ranks in August 2019 and was originally heading up for a three-month stint with Eagle Farm trainer Steven O’Dea. However, fast forward to now and she is still up in Queensland, has outridden her claim and is now a senior jockey.
“It’s been great,” Thornton told TDN AusNZ. “It’s been a nice change from Melbourne mainly because of the lifestyle.
“It’s very different, it’s more relaxing and obviously they don’t race as many times a week as they do back home and you find there’s a really nice work-life balance.”
"It’s more relaxing and obviously they don’t race as many times a week as they do back home and you find there’s a really nice work-life balance.” - Stephanie Thornton
Thornton’s older brother Boris had already made the move to the Sunshine State, and in search of a fresh start and some more opportunities to ride in town, she made the difficult decision to pack up her life in Victoria and move north.
“I was just at a point where I felt like I wanted a change,” Thornton said. “I had one of my older brothers already up here in Brisbane and I kind of felt like that was the right place to go.
“It was a very hard decision to make, to be honest, I put a lot of it on my parents and let them guide me.
“They felt like it was the right move and I trusted them and they certainly were right, it’s been the best thing I could have done and albeit hard, being away from my family and also my partner and all of my friends at home but career-wise, it was the right thing for me”
Stephanie Thornton said the move north has been the best thing she could have done
Making a name
A number of Victorian riders including Georgina Cartwright, Chris Caserta and Michael Rodd have relocated to Queensland in the last 12 months and Thornton believes it is the right place for any jockey, particularly apprentices, to make a name for themselves.
“Obviously it’s a much smaller pool of jockeys up in Queensland as opposed to Melbourne and it definitely gives a young rider more opportunities to find their feet and get the experience that we need,” she said.
“I have been very lucky with the support that I have received right through since I came here as an apprentice, and I’ve since outridden my claim and have become a senior jockey as well. I’ve been very grateful that the support has continued to come.
"I’ve been very grateful that the support has continued to come." - Stephanie Thornton
“It seems to be the right place for an apprentice to get a go. Particularly in the city, it is very hard back home but up here, I have found that trainers are very supportive.
“For anybody looking to make a name for themselves, I think it’s a great place to come.”
Thornton’s partner, and fellow jockey, Ben Thompson moved up to Brisbane just last year and the pair have no plans to return to Victoria any time soon.
“Obviously my partner only moved up here in August last year so given that he’s up here now, for the foreseeable future, we can see ourselves staying here and just playing it as we go.
“The lifestyle is great. Its’s such a good balance between work and having a life and being able to go and do different activities and have a rest day when you need.
“Obviously there’s plenty to do up here, there are plenty of tourist attractions and everything is pretty close as opposed to Melbourne. The way things are up here, it’s fantastic.”
Queen Of Wizardry jumping out at Canterbury before heading to Queensland | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
It’s one thing to receive support from local trainers for a run of the mill metropolitan meeting, but Thornton has secured six rides on the coveted Magic Millions Raceday despite a number of interstate raiders making the journey up.
“It’s only my second year riding at the Magic Millions and my first year being a senior as well so I’m very grateful for the support that has continued.
“I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to stick with some really nice horses since coming out of my apprenticeship and the loyalty from those trainers has been great.
“The biggest thing when you have got the interstate jockeys up here is hoping that you can keep those rides and I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve been able to.”
In the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Thornton will partner the Annabel Neasham-trained Queen Of Wizardry (Not A Single Doubt), who she rode to victory on debut at Eagle Farm on January 2.
A live chance
The 2-year-old filly will start from barrier 15 but Thornton believes she is not without a chance in the $2 million race.
“I think she’s got a very live chance in the race,” Thornton said. “Obviously it will only be her second start and she’ll take plenty of natural improvement from her first-up win.
“She’s probably drawn a little bit awkwardly but given the way she is likely going to race it’s probably going to suit her, she’ll be able to have plenty of room and hopefully be able to build her momentum.
“If she’s going to be winning the race, she’s going to be winning it late and on the line but I think there’s no reason why she can’t.”
“If she’s going to be winning the race, she’s going to be winning it late and on the line but I think there’s no reason why she can’t.” - Stephanie Thornton
In the second feature of the day, the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, Thornton will ride Gotta Kiss (Not A Single Doubt), whom she partnered is last year’s 2YO Classic and to finish second in the G1 JJ Atkins S.
“I’m really looking forward to riding her on Saturday,” Thornton said. “She’s done a lot for me in the past, she was the horse I rode last year at the Magic Millions and I had my first Group 1 ride on her and we ran second.
“I actually think she’s drawn perfectly (barrier nine), she gets back a little bit and she’ll be a bit the same as Queen Of Wizardry, if she’s going to be winning the race she’ll be winning it late but she’s definitely got the ability to.”
With just a couple of days left until the rich raceday, Thornton said that she is mostly just excited but thinks the nerves will begin to set in as it gets closer to Saturday.
“At the moment it’s probably just excitement,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to getting there on Saturday and I’m sure the nerves will kick in at some point, they always do on these days.
“We’re racing for $2 million and you don’t do that every day but I’m very excited and hopefully it just all goes well.”
