Thorby wins amateur premiership

Ardmore horseman Tremain Thorby has won the 2015-2016 New Zealand Amateur Driving Premiership.

The 47-year-old drove six winners in 2015-2016 – one more than Alan Edge and Sheryl Wigg, who both saluted the judge five times last season.

“I’m a competitive person and anything I do I want to do to the best of my ability. I’ve only been driving in the amateur ranks for five seasons and I’m really enjoying it.

“I want to thank Tony (Herlihy MNZM) and all the other trainers who have put me on their horses. If it wasn’t for them you wouldn’t be writing this,” Thorby said.

The Pukekohe Dad also placed four times from his 26 drives last season and netted his largest stakes haul winning $30,321 – $5,500 more than his previous best the season before.

Thorby started his amateur career in 2011-2012 with one win and was 25th on the national premiership. The following years he recorded no wins (36th) in 2012-2013; three wins (10th) in 2013-2014) and two wins (14th) in 2014-2015.

He has also recorded eight open driving victoriess between 1993 and 2005, and has trained 24 winners on his own (2000-2006) and further 60 with Steven Reid (1999 and 2000).

“I’ve always loved driving but my main job is training horses for Tony and Suzanne here at 'Strike Won Stables'. I enjoy being their foreman.

“I was delighted that the stable again won the Alexandra Park training and driving titles. It’s a great place to work. You never stop learning,” Thorby said.

The man who was named after 1960s All Black great and Hawkes Bay loose forward, the late Kel Tremain, said like his name-sake he lived for the win.

“Our whole sport is centered around winning and nailing the premiership is a nice moment in my career. I will want to retain the title next year which means driving more than six winners.

“My life is all about wanting to succeed and working at Tony’s I get to taste that a lot. This is another feather in my cap and one which I am proud of,” Thorby said.

“I just want to keep improving,” he added.

Thorby said he never set any targets last season. Instead he just wanted to stay ahead of the second-placed amateur.

“Now that I’ve achieved this, sure I’d love to represent my country one day. But for now I just want to keep notching up the winners and the rest will take care of itself,” he said.

Thorby has been Tony Herlihy’s (MNZM) stable foreman for the past 10 years believed it would be a lot easier if amateur races were penalty freed. He would also like to see amateur races run at Alexandra Park, rather than just having to reply on a premiership win via Cambridge Raceway.

The man nicknamed ‘Tremor’ is an experienced horseman who has worked alongside some of New Zealand’s greatest trainers since leaving school.

These include Peter Blanchard then Roy & Barry Purdon, Steven Reid and Herlihy.

“I’ve been around the best and am still learning from the best. Tony is great to work. Sure he’s our best reinsman and a star of the sport, but he’s also a quality trainer.

“I really enjoy working for him. He’s an astute horseman and you never stop learning,” Thorby said.

He said he wouldn't rule going out on his own again one day but for now he said he was very happy working for Tony and Suzanne as well as having the an amateur drive when horses were available.

He said he had worked alongside numerous champion horses over the years singling out Night Allowance and Ohoka Punter as two stand-outs.

“Night Allowance could have been anything had his legs not given way. Roy and Barry trained him. I think the potentially the best horse Tony has had since I started working for him would be Derby winner, Ohoka Punter.

“I think the highlight so far would be being the strapper for Gotta Go Cullen when he won the 2008 Auckland Cup for Tony,” Western Springs-born Thorby said.

 

Duane Ranger