Ben Thompson trades Doomben and Ipswich for Sha Tin and Happy Valley: ‘It’s surreal really’

It can often be a baptism of fire for new jockeys in Hong Kong and it was no different for Ben Thompson, who has weathered the storm and looking to make an impact in the new season come September.

Ben Thompson is looking to become a mainstay in the Hong Kong jockeys room. Picture: Kevin Farmer.

Ben Thompson only needs to look around the Sha Tin jockeys room if he needs to see how far he has come in his career, as he looks to make Hong Kong home following a whirlwind five months.

The former Brisbane-based rider dropped everything to make an eleventh hour move to Hong Kong earlier this year and is looking to make it last as long as possible heading into the new season, which kicks off in September.

While the move stopped his wife and fellow jockey Stephanie Thornton from her riding comeback in Brisbane, Thompson says they are determined to make it work at Sha Tin for as long as the Hong Kong Jockey Club continue to license him.

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“It is surreal really, they have the big days, Champions Day and Derby Day, I’m sitting there and Ryan Moore, William Buick and these blokes are walking around, it’s incredible really,” Thompson said.

“At Sha Tin I am sitting next to James McDonald when he is up and I’m opposite Zac (Purton).

“I have three months in the new season at this stage, so I am licensed through until the international meeting in December.

“It gives us a chance to get set up, any license up here is a good one, so I am rapt to be staying.

“There have been a few winners along the way, it has been really good. It’s not a decision that just comes down to myself, it is Steph and the little boy (Harry) and the Jockey Club has their say too.

Jockey Ben Thompson with wife Stephanie and their baby boy Harry, who had a lifesaving 12-hour open heart operation when he was just 13 days old. Picture: Supplied

“They have been incredible, they made the shift as easy as it could be and most importantly Steph understands the significance of the opportunity here, so she is on board and we are trying to make hay while the sun shines.

“If we can stay here for a longer time, we will be really happy.”

It can often be a baptism of fire for new jockeys in Hong Kong and it was no different for Thompson, who had to wait 48 rides for his first winner.

He went on to finish with seven for the season in what was a promising back end to the term.

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Thompson revealed they will return to Brisbane during the off season, with Thornton a chance of a couple of race rides during their time back in the Sunshine State.

“We are coming back to Brisbane in the break, Steph might even have the odd ride for her dad (Glenn) here and there,” he said.

“She is missing riding, it was unfortunate riding in that respect as the call to come up here came just as she was having her first rides back (from pregnancy).

“She had two rides and then we flew out, so it is fair to say I owe her. I won’t be race riding, I’ll ride some trackwork to keep things ticking over.”

Originally published as Ben Thompson trades Doomben and Ipswich for Sha Tin and Happy Valley: ‘It’s surreal really’