Apprentice Anthony Thomas still boiling
The 25-year-old apprentice Anthony Thomas has been very busy accumulating winners and enhancing his status as one of the discoveries of this racing season.
Thomas enjoyed another splendid day in the saddle last Saturday, riding four-timers and three-timers as if they were going out of style.
This meteoric rise by the apprentice began on August 19 when Thomas rode three winners, taking him into the spotlight.
Thomas rode his first four winners on a single race day on September 2, and he followed that up with three winners the following race day.
Then on Saturday last, Thomas booted home his second four-timer — a rare feat in racing, especially by an apprentice rider. Having got his first winner aboard Earth Angel for trainer Dwight Chen in race five, Thomas then followed that win with back-to-back victories on Brooklyn for trainer Lorne Kirlew in race nine, and Chief Prospect in race 10 for trainer Steven Todd, another revelation of this season.
Thomas then made it a four-timer with Royal Girl in the last race for trainer Robert Darby Sr Royal Girl made one move to win the sixfurlong (1,200m) event by all of 13 ½ lengths.
With those winners on the trot, Thomas has taken his tally to 43 winners since he started riding at the Park in September of 2015.
Twenty-nine of those winners came this year, thus enabling the young rider to settle in fourth position in the jockeys’ standing.
Omar Walker (65 winners) is ahead of Shane Ellis (43 winners) and Wesley Henry (41 winners).