Thurlow looks to Oaks for another Group One

[Chief Stipe]

Just a week after his landmark Auckland Cup win, Waverley horseman Bill Thurlow will attempt to double his Group One tally in Saturday’s Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks.

Whereas Glory Days lined up as the second favourite for the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup, Thurlow won’t have the same confidence about Beyond The Fort in the Trentham fillies’ classic, but he’s still happy to give it a shot.

The Niagara filly will at least go into the race unbeaten, having won her only two starts to date, both at 1600 metres. She broke maiden grade at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day and again finished over the top of her rivals to repeat at Otaki On February 23. Rather than try and fit another race in ahead of the Oaks, Thurlow opted for a 1600-metre trial last week at Foxton, in which she finished third.

“The Oaks is coming up a bit soon,” Thurlow admitted, “but we’ve had to wait and wait on her until she was ready to go to the races.

“She can gallop and everything she’s done says she’ll manage a trip, and even though it would have been good to have more racing ahead of such a big test, we’re still keen to give it a shot.”

Before Glory Days’ dominant Auckland Cup won, the closest that Thurlow had been to landing a Group One victory was in the 2008 New Zealand Oaks, when his two-win filly Referred finished second to subsequent Australian Oaks runner-up Boundless.

Beyond The Fort has a current quote of $1 on the TAB’s New Zealand Oaks market, which is headed by Lowland Stakes winner Queen Of Diamonds at $3.20.

Thurlow reports that Glory Days has taken her big weekend in her stride and a Sydney Cup start is under serious consideration.

“She got home at 2am on Sunday morning and seems fine,” he told www.theinformant.co.nz. “I took the cover off her in the paddock this morning and she looks good, I’m happy with her.

“As far as Sydney goes, it looks that way at this stage, so we’ll carry on with that in mind.”

Glory Days, whose six rating points from her Auckland Cup win took her to 104, is weighted at 51kg for the A$2 million Sydney Cup, which is scheduled for April 13.

 

 

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