After a high-profile career in the United States, Thornton returned to New Zealand and in 2003 won the world's richest jumps race, the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan on the John Wheeler-trained St Steven.
"I know a lot about nutrition, which has helped with my weight control since the beginning of the year," says Thornton.
Part of his motivation is to be able to take the raceday rides on the handful of promising jumpers he has been developing.
At the other end of the scale, Rory Hutchings has been schooling jumpers for the past two months and has had just one jumping trial hit-out, on Gee Oh. "Neither of us will know what we're doing," he predicts with a laugh.
"But I'm excited about it - I think it will be good fun."
Asked if any of the more senior jumps riders have offered him advice, Hutchings said: "Yeah, hang on."
Sound advice. A healthy respect for fear can be a wonderful incentive when you're hanging off the side of a horse with one rein and one stirrup iron.
Tomorrow marks the northern start of the relatively new condensed jumping season.
Winners may be tricky to find because the more experienced types in the Browne Memorial Steeples and Minibus Express Hurdles will be prepping for the Waikato Hurdles and Steeplechase double at Te Rapa in two weeks.
Fitness tomorrow will be critical.
The Hurdle topweight Borrack proved sensational last winter and now has a record over hurdles of six wins from seven starts.
He has a huge 70kg to lump, but has displayed plenty of bravery in the past. Cape Kinaveral has the same weight in the Browne Memorial.
The four jumping races provide a highly interesting start to the winter season.
Hot favourite in the opening event, the Hamilton Caterers Maiden Hurdle, will be It's A Message who has a private reputation in the jumps field.
He has won his last two on the flat and makes his jumping debut.
Wingatui trainer Paul Richard's confidence around Natuzzi's chance in tomorrow's $50,000 Reynolds Electrical Great Easter Stakes at Riccarton depends on track conditions.
Riccarton has been steadily downgraded in the past 48 hours, but Richards said he would not be despondent about Natuzzi's prospects if the footing remained in the slow zone. "But if it gets too heavy it will be unknown territory."
Natuzzi proved he was up to the best sprinters when he beat a good field at Trentham last start on March 16. "He had a foot problem after that, which is why he was scratched from Riccarton recently," said Richards.
"But he's over that and I'm quite happy with him condition-wise."
Natuzzi is unbeaten in two starts on a slow surface.
"We don't really know if that's because he was simply too good for the opposition, but Chris [Johnson] did say that he got through the ground well when he won the Southland Guineas at Invercargill."
Natuzzi has 55.5kg and receives 3.5kg off topweight El Chico, who might have won 17 races, but has yet to be successful in 10 starts on slow or heavy.
To expect him to do it for the first time with 59kg against a pretty good field might be asking too much.
If the footing became very heavy, Tick Tock Turbo has the record to look at. He has won nine races in the slow and heavy and has picked up five races at Riccarton.
Hoofnote: John Wheeler was back in the winner's circle at Warrnambool yesterday after Banna Strand won the Grand Annual Steeplechase. It was the New Plymouth horseman's sixth win in the feature event.
