Thistoll (33) was aboard the Danny Crozier-trained Ask My Wife in the amateur riders' 2200m and got the best out of the Howbaddouwantit gelding to edge Sabhraj by a head.
The win was Thistoll's first as an amateur rider from just a handful of rides. Thistoll is employed by Christchurch trainer Terri Rae as a stablehand, but there was a nice link back through Crozier to Thistoll's grandfather, Ned.
"[Ned] would have trained for 40-odd years,'' Thistoll said.
''Danny used to ride a bit for my grandfather too, and [Ask My Wife] is owned by people who had horses with my grandfather.
''Danny's a great bloke and a good friend.''
Thistoll started out working in racing 16 years ago and has seen a bit of the world thanks to the sport of kings.
''I've worked in stables since I was about 17,'' he said.
''I worked for Aidan O'Brien for three years about 10 years ago and I've been working for Terri Rae for the last two years.
''It's a good job - it can take you anywhere.''
The O'Brien yard is generally chock-full of northern hemisphere stars, and Thistoll experienced one of them first hand during his three-year stint with O'Brien.
''I was lucky I got to ride Giant's Causeway on a couple of occasions and I rode lead horses for Stravinsky - it was a good time.''
Giant's Causeway won five straight group 1s in England and Ireland in 2000, earning him the European horse of the year title, and he has gone on to leave his mark in the breeding barn with numerous gr 1 winners.
Thistoll is now looking forward to the Grand National carnival next week.
''I think we've got a ride in national week, so that will be a big buzz riding around on my home track.
"That was only my third or fourth ride today. I only primarily got my licence to ride my own horse about three years ago. I haven't ridden many good ones.''
After yesterday, Ask My Wife might now join Giant's Causeway on Thistoll's list of ''good ones''.
