Classie Linc "the one to beat" at Addington tonight

By Michael Guerin

Sam Thornley is both satisfied and surprised and the two emotions meet in the same race at Addington tonight.

The satisfaction comes from his numbers in his first season as an open driver, his 33 wins so far putting him well on track for a 50 or even 60-win plus season and a place in the top 10 on the national driver’s premiership.

“It is going really well because first season out of juniors can be hard but I have been able to carry on pretty much where I left off,” says Thornley.

His surprise though comes from the form of Classie Linc (R7, No.4), his drive in tonight’s Hill, Lee and Scott Silk Road Final at Addington (8.10pm).

Classie Linc is probably not exactly the sort of mare harness racing bosses were thinking of when they designed the Silk Road series, a seven-year-old veteran of 128 starts who left maidens four years ago.

But she and Thornley have combined for two powerful on-the-pace wins in her last two starts and the young driver admits he has been surprised by the old mare.

“She was good two starts ago when I drove her then last start she was even better, she just bolted in,” says Thornley.

“She has surprised me how good she is going and how keen she is and I think she probably gets the lead again this week.

“That has to make her a good chance and I’d love to win the final for Bruce [Negus, trainer].

“The way the draws are and how she is racing she is the one to beat.”

Thornley also expects to be near the lead and hard to run down in tonight’s intermediate trot with The Royal Gamble (R6, No.1) - 7.36pm.

“He led and won really well last time and is off the front again so I reckon he is my next best chance.”

Thornley thinks he could have some value for punters in Nikolai Ray (R3, No.8) who resumes in a handy maiden race.

“He actually shouldn’t be a maiden,” explains Thornley.

“He could have won a couple of races last season but he would get to the front and pull up.

“But he has come back from a break and I think we are on top of that and I think he won’t be a maiden for long.”

Tonight’s meeting hosts a nice two-year-old race but the feature is the main pacing handicap which sees J T Boe returning facing a 35m handicap.

He came of age over the summer including winning on New Zealand Cup day but has only had on trial heading into tonight’s race so it was a surprise to see him opened favourite by the bookies.

He has to give a 25m start to a promising, in-form and race hardened rival in Scrunch and there is good depth to the 2600m handicap.