Interview with former Richard Hannon apprentice whose two G1 wins last year included the Deutsches Derby on Palladium
It is fair to say 2024 was a year to remember for Thore Hammer Hansen. “Oh, it was brilliant,” agrees the measured yet engaging 25-year-old who has an unforgettable name and now an emerging profile to go with it.
That is down to the maiden jockeys’ title he secured in his native Germany last year when he partnered 74 winners, which put him 14 clear of four-time champion Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.
There was also a first top-level triumph on Palladium in the Deutsches Derby, while another G1 came his way in the Grosser Preis von Bayern courtesy of Assistent – a horse owned by Eckhard Sauren, who retains Hammer Hansen as his number one rider.
The jockey, who was born in Cologne, describes his journey from hungry youngster to respected champion as smooth, noting the assistance he received from his father Lennart, a successful rider initially from Denmark who turned to training before becoming an equine physio.
“I had a couple of ponies when I was about 12 and Dad started training when I was 14, which is when I wanted to be a jockey,” says Hammer Hansen.
“It obviously helped that Dad had a good name in racing, but he always said if I really wanted to be a jockey I’d need to go to England or France.
A short spell in France with the legendary Andre Fabre was followed by a move to Britain, where he linked up with leading trainer Richard Hannon – a move in which Hammer Hansen’s hero William Buick, twice champion jockey in Britain, played an influential part.
“I always loved him,” he adds. “He’s Scandinavian as well and grew up in the same little town in Germany as I did when his dad Walter was riding over here. He helped me in England and I still look up to him now.”
Blessed with impeccable English, Hammer Hansen admits the language barrier was a factor in him swapping France for Britain, although it was also a challenge initially.
Basic conversation
“I could have a basic conversation in English, but when you’re around it all the time you don’t really have a choice but to learn,” he continues.
“It was amazing at Hannon’s. There were always good jockeys and apprentices around. Tom Marquand had just finished his apprenticeship when I got there and Hollie Doyle and Rossa Ryan were still holding on to the last bits of their claims.
“Sean Levey and Pat Dobbs were others I learned from and everyone was brilliant helping me along. It was a massive learning curve and I never planned to come back to Germany.”
Seven winners were registered in Britain in 2018 before totals of 19 and 18 the following two campaigns, which also yielded Royal Ascot glory on Coeur De Lion.
Things progressed again in 2021 when Hammer Hansen enjoyed 40 winners and rode out his claim, although he would not be the first apprentice to see his career stall slightly at that point.
“I was progressing nicely and getting good rides, and riding every day, but lacking quality,” he remembers.
Better horses
“Richard had so many jockeys that I struggled to stay on horses once they progressed to black-type races and higher handicaps. I had to get on better horses, so started flying to Germany most Sundays and had success.”
That success included a first Group strike – on Dapango at Baden-Baden in September 2022 – and soon the seeds to lure Hammer Hansen home on a full-time basis were sown.
“Here you’re retained mostly by trainers and I had lots of offers, but I got on Assistent, who is owned by my boss, and I think that played a massive part in him wanting to retain me,” he explains.
“It was a no-brainer to take it as he’s invested a lot of money and has some of the best horses in the country.
“I left the UK in October 2023 and the title was realistic in Germany, but I was more focused on getting back into the German lifestyle and riding good horses. You can’t expect to be champion anywhere in the world, but things kicked off straight away and I realised mid-season it would be hard to catch me.”
While Hammer Hansen is rightly proud of his achievement, it is the two G1 victories he reflects on most fondly. “The title ranks highly, of course it does, but the main target was a first Group 1,” he says.
Pretty emotional
“I think it is for most jockeys and, being the Derby as well, it was pretty emotional. That’s probably right at the top, while my owner has invested a lot of money in German racing for over 25 years and had never had a G1 winner.
Classic hero Palladium is now in training in Britain and Assistent has been retired to stud, so Penalty – “we’re targeting international Group 1s with him and the one we’re looking forward to most” – and Sign Of Stars are suggested as names to follow for 2025, when another full-blown assault on the jockeys’ championship is not assured.
“I think I could do back-to-back titles, but mentally it’s very hard, as much as it is physically,” says Hammer Hansen. “I know we’re not as busy as England or France, but it takes its toll. It would be nice, but I’m not going to set that as my main target as we’ve got horses who may go abroad, so I might miss meetings. I’m focusing more on big races rather than the championship.”
“I was desperate for him and delighted it happened with Assistent – it was about time he got something back. Things went better than we expected last year, but that Group 1 meant a huge amount to us.”
Aims down the line could include a second stab at France or another trip to Britain, but for now there are few regrets about that ‘no-brainer’ decision to return to Germany.
“Mentally, I’m a lot stronger,” says the keen swimmer who has few weight worries and also switches off by playing golf, albeit (in his own words) terribly.
“If you’re on a good horse, it’s pretty easy,” he goes on. “My confidence was getting low at the end of my English stint because I couldn’t get on horses running in big, meaningful races and you start thinking more than you should.
“Here I’m on the best horse more often than not, which makes things easier, and I’m doing a lot better financially than I was in England.”
Similar issues
Reflecting on the state of German racing generally, Hammer Hansen sees similar issues to those that afflict the major European nations – prize-money, rising costs, attracting new owners and boosting crowds.
“I think German racing is still at a high level,” he says. “You get a lot of English horses competing in Group races here, but they’re not certainties. We’ve horses who are sought after all over the world, so the breeding is very good, and we regularly find a horse to compete at the top internationally too.
“But in the UK and France the sport is better known,” he admits. “If you tell someone here you’re a jockey, they probably think you’re a DJ!”
The rider lives just outside of Cologne and 15 minutes from its racecourse, where he rides out a handful of times a week. Although he is well settled now, he is already eyeing another potential adventure.
“Now I’m champion, hopefully I can go to Japan and Hong Kong at some stage,” he says. “One of the main motivations for going for the title was the doors it would open.
“I still have to apply, but hopefully I’ll get accepted and the two Group 1s will help too. Japan is definitely on the cards for next winter – it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go and everyone has seen the success they’ve had on the global stage in recent years. It would be a great experience to travel the world riding, while Hong Kong has been at the top of the game for a number of years. They’re two places I’d love to go and just see how they do things. Who knows, maybe I’d have a bit of success there as well.”
Given the way 2024 went, you wouldn’t bet against it.
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