Rookie trainer Thorne records second Dundalk double Rookie trainer Stephen Thorne registered a second double today, as he again combined with his principal owners Shamrock Thoroughbreds to win the Botanica International Apprentice Rated Race with first-time-blinkered Perfect Judgement (6/1). Held up off the pace by recent English Cesarewitch-winning rider Jamie Powell, Perfect Judgement was produced to challenge inside the final furlong and edged ahead close home to beat Proleek Prince by a half-length. Thorne, earlier successful with the Jack Kearney-partnered Shoot To Kill, reported "Jamie (Powell) has ridden a winner for me a couple of weeks back on Never Shout Never and gave him a super ride, so I was keen to support him. He has delivered again tonight and did exactly as we asked. We will support him plenty through the winter months.” Thorne, who sent out his first runners in October, added “Perfect Judgement needs everything to fall right through a race and I think they went good and quick up front. He showed a turn of foot from the back of the field, but it was probably set up nicely for him. There was a bit of a pace collapse inside the final furlong and it suited him perfectly. Seven (furlongs) to a mile suits him and we will mix it. "I think the blinkers was more for his mind just to change things up a little bit. He's a tricky horse and has to be delivered late with one run. He's one that has to be just landed on the line basically. "Hopefully, he will kick on from here. He's a horse that we paid a lot of money for at the Breeze-Up Sales and, hopefully, we will have a bit more fun with him." Quotes from Michael Graham
