Geelong apprentice Damien Thornton is enjoying the ride on Awesome Hearted who will be chasing her fourth win a row at Mornington.
Thornton, 16, who claims three kilograms, is unbeaten in three races on the five-year-old mare who he hopes will give him his first metropolitan class win in Monday’s Melbourne International Truck Centre Handicap (1216m).
“He (Thornton) has got her pretty well worked out,” trainer Greg Eurell said.
“She just keeps winning for him.”
Thornton has only been race riding since August but has already racked up 38 winners.
He is also an accomplished equestrian rider and over the long weekend is competing in the dressage and cross country sections at the Melbourne International Three-Day event at Werribee.
On Monday he plans to ride in the show jumping competition before heading off to Mornington to fulfil his commitments which also include I’m Mysterious for his father and master, Glenn. He will also ride Etoile Rouge.
Awesome Hearted had only won once in 11 starts before Thornton rode her for the first time at Kilmore where she scored by nearly two lengths on April 17.
He followed up with narrow wins on the mare at Bairnsdale on May 8 and Cranbourne on May 27.
Eurell said he didn’t want to break up a winning formula.
“She tackled a tougher race last start and that gave us the right opportunity to go into this and see if she can get a city class win,” Eurell said.
He said Awesome Hearted had an awkward action which had compromised her post-race recovery but she was very honest.
“She is not 100 per cent sound and takes a few days to get over a run but then she always bounces back,” Eurell said.
Thornton’s claim gives Awesome Hearted valuable weight relief on Monday and she will carry 56.5kg instead of 59.5kg.
