STEPHEN Thorne has made a fine impression in the training ranks since taking out his licence last October.

Based out of Killarkin Stud in Dunboyne, Co Meath, Thorne has already sent out 12 winners at Dundalk Stadium and bids to make his mark on the turf, with two runners in the Nua Healthcare Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh on Sunday.

Both run in the colours of Shamrock Thoroughbreds and benefit from significant jockey bookings, with Chris Hayes set to partner Independent Expert, while Colin Keane will ride Gleneagle Bay.

“Gleneagle Bay is lightly-raced and still quite immature for a five-year-old,” Stephen Thorne reported. “He had a gallop at Leopardstown recently and he will be as ready as we can get him.

“His best form is over seven furlongs, but hopefully he can stay the mile. He will be aimed at all the big handicaps throughout the season and could even be a stakes horse by the summer.

“We bought Indepenent Expert off the Slatterys in October. She won twice last season and finished third in the Cambridgeshire. She might not have much up her sleeve, but she is a tough filly.

“She won first time out last year and we think she will be plenty forward, compared to others in the line-up. There are still some shares available in her.”

New chapter

Thorne graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start programme in 2014 and spent the following two years assisting top trainers Mike de Kock in South Africa and Ralph Beckett in the UK.

He rejoined Ado McGuinness Racing in 2017 as assistant trainer and the yard enjoyed huge success at home and abroad in the past seven years. Thorne also won the Leadership Award at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards in 2018.

Although he is currently sharing training facilities with Jack Davison, Thorne is awaiting planning permission to build his own yard in North Co Dublin.

In the meantime, he hopes to add to his string. “We already have five or six two-year-olds, but we need more and we will be attending all the breeze-up sales.

“Through Shamrock Thoroughbreds, we bought Tiger Belle at the breeze-ups and she won a Group 3 race at ParisLongchamp for us. We have bought other maiden winners too. Shamrock has been a great gateway for people to get involved and there are packages to suit every budget.”