Brent Thomson (born 1958 in

Wanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest nav ...

) is a New Zealand

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

, who is best known for winning the

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racin ...

on four occasions and his association with the champion horse Dulcify. The son of a leading trainer Kevin Thomson, Brent became the champion apprentice of New Zealand at the age of 16. He moved to Australia as a fresh-faced teenager to further his career earning the nickname ‘The Babe’ from the local racing press. Settling in Melbourne, he became the stable rider for Colin Hayes winning three jockey's premierships during his six-year association with the trainer which included wins in these

on So Called and the

AJC Derby The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn Australian Turf Club, ATC Championships Carniv ...

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse ...

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

and the

on Dulcify. He also won many major races riding for other trainers including the

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under Handicap (horse racing), handicap conditions. This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 met ...

on Gurner's Lane. A successful stint riding overseas (chiefly in the United Kingdom) followed where he rode more than 100 winners. He also rode the Australian horse

Strawberry Road Strawberry Road (28 September 1979 – 1 June 1995) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who went on to race in Germany, France, the United States, and Japan. Bred in New South Wales, he was by the 'superbly-bred' Whiskey Road ( N ...

to victory in the 1984

Grosser Preis von Baden The Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), taking plac ...

Upon returning to Australia, further big race success followed winning a second

and an

Adelaide Cup The Adelaide Cup is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 2 Thoroughbred handicap horse race for three-year-olds and older, run over 3,200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia on the second Monday in March. Total prize mone ...

on Lord Reims as well as a famous victory in the Australian Cup on Dandy Andy who defeated the champions Vo Rogue and Bonecrusher at long odds. Thomson retired from riding in 2000 but continued to work in the bloodstock industry. In 2012 he was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and in 2019 into the

Australian Racing Hall of Fame The Australian Racing Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum which documents and honours the horse racing, horseracing legends of Australia. The museum officially opened in 1981 and created the Hall of Fame in 2000. The numbers i ...

References

New Zealand jockeys Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from Whanganui 1958 births Living people New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductees {{australia-horseracing-bio-stub

See also

References