By MIKE DILLON
Craig Thornton knew he'd made the right decision to return to New Zealand after 10 years in the United States when he rode two winners at Ellerslie yesterday.
Thornton rode a winner and two seconds in five rides at Fair Hill Racetrack in Maryland last Monday, returning to New Zealand on Thursday to kick home Impressive King and Somerset Beau yesterday.
Buying a dairy farm here, marrying fellow jockey Trudy Collett on January 17 and easing into a career as a trainer are plans for the 34-year-old, who has been a leading rider on the American jumping circuit for a decade.
Thornton left New Zealand in 1990, spent 18 months going backwards and forwards and has been solidly based in the United States since 1992.
"I'll go back and do one more stint in October and that will be it - I'll be based here permanently after that."
He says his luck has changed since he made the decision to return home.
"I linked up with Trudy and it seemed like a good time to come home, but things have really hotted up since then.
"But I've made my decision and I'm sticking with it."
Financially the venture has been very successful for Thornton.
"There is no comparison in what you can earn over there and here in New Zealand."
Fellow New Zealand jumps jockey Eddie Lamb is a possible replacement for the spot Thornton has vacated in the United States.
"The trainer I was riding for is interested in Eddie, so he has his foot in the door," said Thornton.
Lamb, also riding at Ellerslie yesterday, said he was keen to pursue the option, but did not want any contract to prevent him from riding Rand in the $3 million Nakayama Grand Jump in Tokyo next year or from gaining a ride in another $3 million jumps race there.
The agony passes over Lamb's face when you ask him how he felt after Rand was put out of the Grand Jump when a Japanese runner hit the running rail and brought Rand down.
"I'm sick every time I think of it. It cost me $250,000 - we'd have won.
"I couldn't function afterwards. I unsaddled Rand in the wrong place, kicked my skullcap across the birdcage and couldn't talk to anyone."
Then Lamb remembered the serious injuries he suffered going through the wing of the last fence in a steeplechase a few years ago and realised he could have been dead.
"It makes you realise what's important."
Racing: Wins icing on cake for return home
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