NZ HARNESS NEWS
Olivia Thornley has just left school at the age of 17 but she has quickly made her mark at the races, winning her first race at the popular Christmas fixture at Motukarara on Friday.
Thornley was having her ninth drive when scoring with Awaytocullect, a four-year-old Gotta Go Cullect gelding part-owned and trained by her father Robin.
Accomplished horseman and farrier Craig Thornley is Olivia’s half-brother.
With a family background in harness racing, Olivia took the familiar route into the game, coming through the Kidz Kartz and Cadet Scheme programmes.
She began working part-time for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen at the All Stars Stable a year ago and is presently there full-time, but only until she starts University next year to study for a Bachelor of Science degree.
“That is only as a back up in case things don’t work in harness racing though,” said Thornley.
She has driven Awaytocullect in his last six races and her other three drives have been behind another of her father’s horses in Viewfield Navajo.
Her first drive was with Awaytocullect six weeks ago and she had been just off the placings on each occasion before scoring at the Banks Peninsula meeting.
“He’d often drawn the second line and was running on nicely without any luck.”
On Friday, Thornley had Awaytocullect away smartly from a front line draw to settle in the trail before racing three-fence and the long straight and big passing lane meant there was plenty of time and space for them to issue their challenge.
Awaytocullect came along the pylons strongly to score by half a length over Beau Vista and Amber Lethaby, with Ricky May and Dexter Dunn rounding out the First4.
Awaytocullect was Robin Thornley’s first winner for six years to the day, with Zeus Whanau also winning as maiden at the same meeting and paying $70.
Robin races Awaytocullect with Geoff Blight after the horse was given to him by another trainer about a year ago “because they couldn’t get him to pace properly”.
NZ Harness News
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