Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame in 2012 and into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2019, Brent Thomson - so fondly referred to as "The Babe" - is known for many great wins; most notably for taking out four of the five G1 W.S Cox Plates run between 1975 and 1979.
He was just 17 when he won the first of those aboard Fury's Order (NZ), also enjoying success on Family Of Man, So Called and the amazing Dulcify (NZ) (Decies {GB}) who remains one of the biggest 'what might of been' stories in Australian racing.
Brent enjoyed success not only in Australasia but across the world. After securing three local jockey's premierships he headed to the UK where he rode over a hundred winners including the 1984 G1 Grosser Preis von Baden aboard Strawberry Road.
Strawberry Road | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Also riding in Asia, Brent rode over 2500 winners in 27 different countries and has also worked as the Australian representative for New Zealand Bloodstock - and at the age of 66 is back in the saddle riding track work for Ciaron Maher, a good effort after 24 years out of the saddle!
What advice would you give to a 20-year-old just starting out in racing today?
“Don't look at racing as just a job, if you treat it like that you won't last and you won't climb up the ladder and be successful. You have to put your heart into it and have a love of and respect for horses.
“Working in racing is not for the sort of people who get a pony on a whim and get sick of it after five minutes - horses are not like bikes, you can't stick them in the garage once you are through with them!
“All young people have whims but to succeed in racing you have to be passionate about horses.”
“All young people have whims but to succeed in racing you have to be passionate about horses.” - Brent Thomson
Are there any figures in the racing industry who you feel deserve more recognition for their contribution?
“From a jockey's point of view, those hard working people at the barriers. They are a pretty tough lot, horses can be dangerous - they can do silly things, get an attack of claustrophobia and go berserk and the barrier staff are the ones in the firing line.
“They are getting more praise these days but remain the unsung heroes to a degree.
Thomson praises barrier staff | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I like seeing the grooms showcased more these days - there are a lot of bad things about social media but that is one of the good things; we are seeing more of them and recognising that they are such an important part of the racing chain.
“And then there are farriers - there is that old saying 'no foot, no horse' and that is so true; trainers like Ciaron Maher and Paul Preusker are very big on hoof health.”
What has been the biggest obstacle you faced in your career?
“I have been very lucky that due to my success there have not been a lot of difficulties though there was the pressure that I had to be successful every year.”
Riding in other countries also presented its challenges - “in each different land I had to break in which needed a certain amount of luck. Case in point is Hong Kong - I have seen many really top class jockeys not quite make it there because things didn't go their way straight away; if you don't have instant success in new places you can be judged very quickly.”
“I have been very lucky that due to my success there have not been a lot of difficulties though there was the pressure that I had to be successful every year.” - Brent Thomson
Brent also recalls comments on his riding style when he returned from his UK and European sojourns - “I came back riding shorter with my toe in the stirrup - I could see that was the way the future of riding was heading but there was resistance to it.. but I stood by my convictions.”
What would you do differently if you were starting again?
“Looking back at my career, I see a lack of discipline in the early days - I did things I would not get away with in this day and age,” he said, open about being a drinker - something he gave up around 20 months ago.
“I don't do it any more and I wish I didn't then. But there were no managers then so not as much guidance as there is now - and no social media to get you into trouble.
A young Brent Thomson with former top galloper Curly Wave | Image courtesy of Race Images
“One of the great improvements, and this is true with sporting people across the board, is the support systems now in place in regards to mental health.
“Some jockeys can go through rough periods where everything goes wrong and in my day your master or boss didn't have the time or the knowledge to deal with that. But now there is professional help which is so important from a confidence point of view - I just didn't have access to that sort of thing.”
Which people influenced your career the most?
“In my youth, my father Kevin Thomson - it is not always ideal to work for your father but it was good for me in so many ways.
“When I came to Australia - Colin Hayes who was an amazing influence on me.
“And then there was Robert Sangster who was a great part of my life, he took me to England and opened the doors of opportunity for me over there.”
Robert Sangster
One of Brent's major successes in England was aboard Sangster's horse Gildoran (Ire) in the 1985 G1 Ascot Gold Cup.
“Those men are the major three for me.”
What drives you to continue working in the racing industry?
“Looking back I only ever had one ambition, to be a jockey, I'd say it was in my blood - I never looked in any other direction and I was not educated to be anything else.
“I don't see myself ever wandering away from racing,” he said, still passionate about the issues that face the sport.
“Beyond Covid the anti racing, anti gambling sentiments have increased so rapidly and how racing is standing up to that is a major concern.”
“Looking back I only ever had one ambition, to be a jockey, I'd say it was in my blood - I never looked in any other direction and I was not educated to be anything else.”
Brent has a great idea in regards to public perception of horse racing, noting that many see us as just rich people spending and winning large amounts of money - “that we take, take, take!”
“I'd love to see racing looked upon favourably and one way to do that is to contribute more to charity which is a great way to garner community support. We need to look outside our bubble; racing already does great things but we can do even more.”
