BEN THOMPSON SOAKS UP HIS MAGIC MILLIONS SUCCESS

By Graham Potter | Friday, January 20, 2023

Ben Thompson might have just missed out on the big one with Yellow Brick in the $2 million Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas ... and I mean only just missed out ... but he bounced back to a claim a significant victory aboard the Tony Gollan trained Vinco in the $1 million Magic Millions Cup at the rescheduled Magic Millions meeting at the Gold Coast yesterday.

“It was amazing,” said Thompson. “He is a horse that I have had a long rapport with ... that was my third win aboard him and this was super special.

“I won a Listed race on him over the Winter ... and to win a Million’s race ... as an adoptive Queenslander ... to win a race on this day which is so hard to do is super, super-surreal.

“I could not believe it when I was travelling so well and hit the front, I was just thinking ... ahhh, the winning post, please come back to me.

“It was really nice to repay the whole Gollan team ... Tony and Jane, Craig Cavanough, Claire Bird ... with a big winner after all of the support they have given me.

“It is just such a special moment to win a race on such a prestigious race-day ... as I say, particularly when you are a Queenslander.

“The win was pretty overwhelming,” continued Thompson.

‘When I came to a stop, I took my time coming back. I just wanted to soak it up with the horse.

“The emotions started getting to me post-race and I thought if I get back too soon I’m going to be an absolute mess.”

And when Thompson did get back to scale, there was somebody waiting for him with whom he could share another special moment ... the hug and kiss between Thompson and his wife and fellow jockey Stephanie provided one of the nicest moments of the day.

“Honestly, when I was coming back on the horse I was thinking of Stephanie. I was looking for her and hoping she was nearby ... and, yeah, then, there she was, waiting for me when I got off.

“It was just so special.”

*Vinco, who started at $21, is now a ten-time winner and this latest victory has taken his prize-money earnings past the $1 million mark.

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