Whatever happens at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, Ben Thompson will complete the 2025/26 Brisbane Metropolitan Season with the satisfaction of not only taking home the Brisbane Jockey’s Premiership … but winning it in style, currently romping in 23.5 winners clear of Ryan Maloney, who also has had a successful season, improving on his previous season’s haul of winners.
Thompson has also put a personal best on the scoreboard, eclipsing the 93 Metropolitan winners he landed during the 2022/23 season … the last full season in which he competed in Queensland before taking up a riding stint in Hong Kong.
He currently sits on 97.5 winners … and therein could lie the key to unlocking another major milestone for the Thompson’s season which would put the cream on the cake and bring an added level to the season’s celebration.
The maths and how it sets up at Eagle Farm is pretty clear at this stage. (NB that is with final scratchings still to come on Wednesday morning).
That 97.5 wins means that Thompson needs 2.5 winners … you would have to call that three winners unless there is a dead-heat … to get to the one hundred winner mark for the season.
That’s the maths. This is the setup.
Thompson has been booked for eight rides on the nine-race card at Eagle Farm. Five of those rides are on race favourites and two are aboard second favourites. (Odds are those reflected at the time of writing).
That scenario speaks volumes for not only what is possible in that quest for 100 winners, but for what Thompson has already established, a record which has him in demand for a range of high-quality stables.
Two of those current favourites … Xtravagant Johnny (in race 1) and Dust Cloud (in race 9) … are for the powerful Tony Gollan stable which gives Thompson the chance to bookend the meeting.
Thompson is not in action in race 2. In race 3 he rides the strong favourite Solvent for Stuart Kendrick. If he should win both of his first two rides, it would leave Thompson on a tantalising 99.5 wins for the season … with five other rides to come, including his two other favourites … one for Jack Bruce (Crusader Voyage in race 7) … and one for the Annabel and Rob Archibald training partnership (Meldubious in race 8).
That leaves Thompson with two second favourites … Riez Souvent (for Chris Waller in race 5) and Freeland (for Chris and Corey Munce in race 6) … and then there is also Haru (another ride for Tony Gollan in race 4) which is Thompson’s only ride at double-figure odds.
It is all speculation of course … things can go up, down or sideways … but, hopefully, it will be ‘ton up Thompson’ when the dust finally settles on the metropolitan season!
*Story based on statistics taken from the official Racing Queensland Premiership’s webpage.*