SA businessman Darren Thomas is hoping to add the Melbourne Cup to an impressive resume
SA businessman Darren Thomas hoping to claim the Melbourne Cup with his former international trio.
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DARREN Thomas admits he’ll be a touch nervous when horses make their way to the starting gates ahead of the $8 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
“I get an excited type of nervous, I’m sure there will be a few butterflies before the gates fly back,’’ Thomas said.
The CEO of Thomas Foods International, Australia’s largest family owned agribusiness with more than 2500 employees and a turnover of $1.3 billion a year, Thomas is an avid investor in the Australian thoroughbred industry.
A former partner in Cornerstone Stud in the Barossa Valley, Thomas has expanded his horse profile in recent years under the Seymour Bloodstock banner and he’s excited to have not one but three chances in the race that stops a nation.
Thomas has Rostropovich and Neufbosc trained by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, along with Mirage Dancer trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
“I’m quite humbled by achieving that feat,’’ Thomas said of just getting three horses in Australia’s great race.
“I had a horse in the Cup many many years ago who was scratched on race morning, so I’m not getting ahead of myself.
“It’s been an honour to get this far and whatever happens on Tuesday is a bonus, anything can happen in the Melbourne Cup,’’ he said.
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Thomas is no stranger to racetrack success.
He landed his first Group 1 when He’s Our Rokki won the 2016 Toorak Handicap.
“He was out first, purchased by a close friend Mark Pilkington, race by some great people from South Australia and ridden by a good South Aussie boy in Dwayne Dunn, that was a huge thrill,’’ Thomas added.
“Group 1s are bloody hard to win.”
Star sprinter Merchant Navy was Thomas’ second success at the top level when he stamped himself as a world class sprinter winning last year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day.
It was the start of an amazing ride with which took Thomas to Royal Ascot and a meeting with the Queen.
“Apart from being totally mesmerised, her sheer passion for the sport and the animal was amazing,’’ Thomas said.
“Talking to her for a few minutes, I was so impressed by her knowledge and her passion for racing.
“Without that connection I’m not sure I would have said to her, it was an amazing experience.”
Merchant Navy won the Group 2 Greenland stakes at Curragh before claiming the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot, joining the likes of Black Caviar and Takeover Target as Australia’s runners who conquered the world before he was retired to stud.
FIRST TO LAST: HOW THE MELBOURNE CUP WILL FINISH
Thomas said it was hard to know which of his three horses had the best chance of claiming a Melbourne Cup.
Rostropovich, named after a Russian cello master, finished fifth behind Cross Counter in last year’s race, Mirage Dancer ran a slashing race at his Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup while Neufbosc appears to have the job ahead of him after beating just one runner home in the Geelong Cup.
“They all have good form,’’ Thomas said.
“Rostropovich ran really well in the Cup last year.
“On recent form Mirage Dancer, it will be his first try at the distance, he would be an each-way chance on the back of a really good run in the Caulfield Cup.”