THE odds have shortened that Robert Thompson will break the Australian riding record for total winners at Taree tomorrow.

Thompson rode two winners at Grafton yesterday and now has the winning post in his sights. Thompson is just one shy of Jack Thompson's riding record in Australia of 3322 winners.

Yesterday, the champion Cessnock hoop, who has ridden winners from Flemington and Randwick to McKinley in outback Queensland and Hobart in Tasmania, won the feature race of the day, the Maclean Cup, on Victory Charm as well as winning the 2100m handicap on Tilmunda.

After the last race he was not disappointed about not being able to at least equal the late and great Jack Thompson's magical figure.

"After I won on Victory Charm I thought I would need luck to get another winner today," Thompson said yesterday. "So now it is a case of Taree here I come."

When asked what price he was of at least equalling the record if not setting a new mark tomorrow, he said: "I am odds-on to crack it at Taree, but I have ridden a few short-priced favourites that have got beaten," he said with a smile.

"Let's just hope it is a done deal at Taree and if not I will just keep going as it has taken me a while to get this close."

Thompson has six rides on the 10-race program at Taree and looks to have at least one outstanding chance in Anecdotal Evidence in race four.

Anecdotal Evidence was unlucky in the race won by Tuqiri at Newcastle on July 12. That was a 1200m handicap at 65 level and the five-year-old gelding faces easier opposition tomorrow.

Thompson's full book of rides at Taree are Chasing Chimes in race one, Viva Las Count (r2), Anecdotal Evidence, Primordial (r6), I'm Trumps (r9) and Bohemian Dreams (r10).