Ben Thompson turns water into wine with million dollar Doomben five timer

The former Victorian jockey is now locked in a battle for the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership against reigning champion Jimmy Orman after his best day at the races on Saturday.

Ben Thompson celebrates his fifth winner of the day with All That Pizzazz. Picture: Grant Peters—Trackside Photography.

Ben Thompson could have been kicking stones after missing the Group 1 ride on Uncommon James in Sydney, instead he turned water into wine with a five-timer at Doomben to mark his best day at the races.

The former Victorian has made Queensland his own since moving north and celebrated his best day at races, winning both the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO and 3YO features in a day to remember.

After answering a last-minute SOS to ride Uncommon James to victory in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate last month, Thompson was in Brisbane on Saturday watching his second-placed performance in The Galaxy instead.

“I’ve never ridden five winners in a day before, this is just magnificent” an elated Thompson said.

“I’d say this is the best day I have at the races before … I didn’t get to see much of (Uncommon James), I saw he ran second.”

Thompson kicked off his winning run with Navajo Peak, before backing it up on Red Wave 35 minutes later.

He then went on a feature race rampage, taking out the Military Rose Plate with Sweet Margot May, the QTIS Jewel 2YO on Mishani Royale and QTIS Jewel 3YO with All That Pizzazz.

Ben Thompson is one winner behind Jimmy Orman in the premiership. Picture: Grant Peters—Trackside Photography.

It comes on the back of the young gun riding the first four winners at Eagle Farm a fortnight earlier to put himself in the fight for the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership against Jimmy Orman.

Thompson now sits just one win behind Orman in the battle for the title.

After scratchings left All That Pizzazz jumping from barrier eight, Thompson said he wasn’t concerned when he was posted three-wide the trip, but admits not everything went to plan.

“It wasn’t (easy) through the run. I could have rode him better not that I was being caught three-wide but I let him slide for too long to let him come across with En Pointe and let him sit one off the fence,” he said.

“I should have had a breather for an extra 50 or 100 metres and accepted being three-wide.

“Once I didn’t put him to sleep until the 850 I thought I’m going to have to wait as long as I can now.

“They put an extra two lengths on me between the 500 and the 300 but I was confident that if I didn’t move on him before the 300, I’d have a lot of horse late. He’s a ripper.

“He ran into good horses last time – Golden Boom, Hidden Wealth – but when Tony Gollan is confident, that is all you need.”

Originally published as Ben Thompson turns water into wine with million dollar Doomben five timer