Cessnock champion jockey Robert Thompson was the toast of the Broadmeadow Racecourse on Saturday (3 May) when he punched home his 4000th winner.
The history-making 55-year-old landed a treble at the Muswellbrook meeting on Friday May 2nd, and after spending the Saturday morning at a Hunter Valley cattle sale, he headed to Broadmeadow with 3999 winners under his belt.
In race six, a benchmark 60 over 1850 metres, the King of the Coalfields was aboard Lay Down The Law for Rosehill trainer Pam Webber. The horse was suspect at the trip after failures in two starts over 1850m.
Patience is one of Thompson’s great assets, and that was evident on Saturday when the horse, given a perfect ride to the top of the straight, had nowhere to go when the whips were cracking. The jockey sat cold for more than 200 metres as he waited for a gap.
Eventually the opening came inside the 100 metres and, to the roar from the crowd, the gelding overhauled the leaders to win by half a length. Thompson was given a rousing reception from the crowd when he raised his arm as he returned to the winners’ circle.
A presentation to the popular jockey from Newcastle Jockey Club followed and Chief Executive Cameron Williams told the crowd there would be free beer and champagne in the members bar after the final event. Thompson was hoisted onto the bar in the members’ area and the packed crowd went wild.
He signed autographs and posed for photos with race-goers for half an hour before going to Cessnock for a quiet celebration with his wife Jenny, mother Phyllis and friends at a restaurant. The hero of the day spoke to the Newcastle Herald before leaving the track.
“I am thrilled to reach 4000 on my favourite track, Broadmeadow,” he said. “I rode six winners in a day on this track some years back. It is a great feeling because the media and so many others around the country have been riding in the saddle with me as I approached 4000 winners.
“I have had Sydney television crews coming to race meetings to follow me around and interview me. I don’t feel pressure, but I am happy it is over as there has been a lot of hype and maybe the phone will stop ringing.
“I have had great support from owners and trainers and there is so many people to thank. I was apprenticed to my grandfather, Norm Collins, and he taught me so much.
“My late father, Arthur, was the foreman and then he trained in his own right and we were very close. My wife, Jenny, and mother, Phyllis have been great. Finally, I must be honest, I didn’t believe that I could ride a winner today (Saturday).”
– Newcastle Herald
