Gemma Thornley – from rugby to racing

Twenty three year old Gemma Thornley certainly has her name on the harness racing map, having progressed up the junior drivers ranks in recent months.

In total she’s won fifty four races, twenty four this season.

Among the total, twenty wins were for her employer Mark Jones, ten for Steven McRae and nine for her father Chris Thornley.

Her biggest wins (stakes wise) were the IRT Racing Rewards Showcase with Bella Button (Waterloo Sunset), Artatac (Art Major) in the Timaru Winter Cup and Franco Norton (A Rocknroll Dance) in the Scott Base Winery Handicap Pace at Cromwell.

Franco Norton winning at Cromwell for Gemma – Photo Monica Toretto

Gemma’s father Chris worked for the legendary trainer Cecil Devine and is now a hobby trainer.

She received her early education at Tai Tapu Primary School before she headed to Lincoln High School and like most country girls she had a horse and enjoyed eventing.

“It wasn’t until I was fifteen or sixteen and could get my trials license that I thought harness racing was more of a career option that going down the riding route,” she said.

While at High School she also played rugby for the Canterbury Under Eighteens and the Canterbury B side as either a flanker or a lock.

“Then I got told I was too small to go any further and that was when racing started taking off.”

Her first job was at Spreydon Lodge under Steven McRae.

“That was really good. Uncle Craig (Thornley) works there so I learned a lot from him. There were a lot of young horses there because obviously they break all their horses in. “

She continued at Spreydon Lodge for three and a half years.

“They would get most of their horses up and going and then sell them. There wasn’t a large race team but when I did get the drives it was on good horses.”

Whilst at Spreydon Lodge she drove her first winner Nemero Franco, (Bettor’s Delight) at Banks Peninsula on 29^th of September 2019.

“There was a bit of pressure going into the drive because she was quite a nice horse but hadn’t raced for about two years, so I was quite nervous. She had unreal speed and went from last to first and it was one of those moments that was a bit of a blur for a while.”

Nemero Franco settled second last and improved wide into the long Banks Peninsula straight. Thornley brought her down the outside of the track and she beat Ghostwriter (Sportswriter) by two lengths.

“To drive a horse like her was pretty cool. I was also looking for somewhere to go too where I could pick up a few drives. I waited patiently and the prefect job came up at Mark’s.”

Nemero Franco winning at Banks Peninsula for Gemma Thornley-Photo Race Images

Nemero Franco, Gemma Thornley with mum Carolyn-Photo Race Images

Nemero Franco, Gemma Thornley with father Chris – Photo Race Images

“It’s great working there. There are quite a few racehorses. Sam (Ottley) gets to choose, and I get the second choices but it’s worked out really great.”

Bella Button has been her biggest winner and she’s driven the mare in six of her eight wins.

Bella Button winning at Addington – Photo Race Images

Her first winner for her father was Star Reactor (Auckland Reactor) at Banks Peninsula in November 2020.

Star Reactor winning at Banks Peninsula -Photo Race Images

Star Reactor in the birdcage with Dad – Photo Race Images 

Like most junior drivers Gemma would like to make the Junior Championships. She holds a trainers license and would like to get into the training side of things further down the track.

“I love working with horses and taking care of them. I do like that side of things.”

Gemma is currently third equal in the New Zealand Junior Driver Premiership with Ben Hope and is fifth on the South Island New Zealand Junior Drivers Championship leaderboard.

She says the best horse she’s driven was Stylish Memphis (Bettor’s Delight) which she drove at Addington in November 2022, running second to Manhattan (Bettor’s Delight).

“It was just great to drive a horse that had won multiple Group One races on race day. It was pretty cool.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink