Yulong makes a winning move for quality three-year-old

[Wandering Eyes]

Bill Thurlow will have mixed feelings when gifted filly Movin Out(NZ) (Staphanos) leaves his stable for Australia this weekend.

The Waverley trainer confirmed the sale of the lightly raced three-year-old, who has been purchased by thoroughbred powerhouse Yulong and will join Chris Waller’s operation.

Movin Out was raced by Thurlow’s brother Grant and his wife Paddi and quickly showed her talent when a debut third on her home course before breaking her maiden at Otaki.

The daughter of Staphanos subsequently bridged a significant gap to elite level company when rounding off strongly to finish third behind Captured By Love and Alabama Lass in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

“Chris got hold of me and the deal was done, the money was too good to turn down,” Thurlow said.

“I’d love to still have her, and it is a bit of a shame, but it’s commercial reality really.

“She travels out on Saturday morning and will fly to Australia on Sunday.”

Movin Out is a daughter of the Stravinsky mare Wahaha, a half-sister to four-time Group One winner Wall Street, and was bought out of Anistay Lodge’s Book 2 draft for $24,000 at Karaka last year.

Her sister and stablemate The Entertainer, who won twice during the New Zealand Cup carnival, will continue to fly the family flag for the same connections.

“She’s got residual value as she was Group Three placed (Desert Gold Stakes, 1600m) as a three-year-old,” Thurlow said.

He will now focus his efforts on his double-handed assault with Battle Secret and Whangaehu on Saturday’s Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m).

“Whangaehu is probably a run short, I’m a little bit worried about that because he missed Wellington,” Thurlow said.

“We did trial him, but it’s not quite the same although he’s not far away. The other horse is going really well, he’s flying along.”

To be ridden by Lily Sutherland, Whangaehu finished sixth when resuming over 1400m before a trial win at Foxton while Tegan Newman will be aboard Battle Secret who has four wins and two placings from his last six appearances.

Newman will also partner Elivaber in the Dave Hoskin Carriers Maiden (2040m) and she has four top three finishes from five starts this campaign.

“You’d think she’d get one soon, I thought it would be the other day at Woodville and she has done well since,” Thurlow said.

“She’s got a nice draw and has to be ridden forward, she is a real one-pacer and can’t sit and quicken.”

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