Robert Thornton
DOB: July 14, 1978
Robert Thornton made a big splash in the 1996/7 season when, at the age of 18, he rode a double on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival (King Lucifer in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup and Pharanear in the Gold Card Final), then added two more wins at Aintree (John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase on Blue Cheek and the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle aboard Shankar) and secured the amateur riders' title.
Thornton, nickname "Chocolate" or "Choc" for short, hails from Leicestershire where his father Martin is a huntsman with the Belvoir and mother Sally trains a couple of point-to-pointers. He worked for the late David Nicholson at Jackdaws Castle after leaving Grantham College at 16 and was later pupil assistant.
His first winner under Rules came aboard KC's Dancer at Cheltenham on October 25, 1995. He was the leading conditional rider in the 1997/8 season with 80 wins and has also ridden the winners of four amateur Flat races. After such a flying start, Thornton's career went through something of a lull but after a spell with Kim Bailey he linked up with Alan King at Barbury Castle and the pair have enjoyed great success. Thornton enjoyed a spectacular Cheltenham Festival in 2007 as the King-trained trio of My Way De Solzen (Arkle Challenge Trophy), Katchit (Triumph Hurdle) and Voy Por Ustedes (Queen Mother Champion Chase) landed Grade One races and he ended the meeting as top jockey with four winners. He was again in good form at the 2008 Festival, riding three winners including Katchit in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.
Cheltenham Festival wins (15):
Irish Independent Arkle: 2006 Voy Por Ustedes, 2007 My Way De Solzen
Walwyn Muir: 1997 King Lucifer
Pertemps Final: 1997 Pharanear
William Hill: 2004 Fork Lightning, 2005 Kelami
JCB Triumph: 2005 Penzance, 2007 Katchit
Albert Bartlett: 2005 Moulin Riche
Ladbrokes World Hurdle: 2006 My Way De Solzen
Seasons Holidays Queen Mother: 2007 Voy Por Ustedes
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual: 2007 Andreas
Albert Bartlett: 2008 Nenuphar Collognes
Spinal Research Supreme: 2008 Captain Cee Bee
Smurfit Kappa Champion: 2008 Katchit
