Racing: Glory Days eyes $2m Cup

NZ Herald

11 Apr, 2019 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Glory Days winning the 3200m Auckland Cup in March. Photo / Trish Dunell

It is not often these days Riccarton form is considered useful leading into a A$2 million Sydney Cup but Kiwi trainer Bill Thurlow thinks it will aid Glory Days tomorrow.

Because lessons learned by both horse and man on their trips to the home of Canterbury racing could prove valuable for getting the best out of Glory Days at Randwick tomorrow.

The last-start Auckland Cup winner is one of four New Zealand-trained stayers in the Cup, a race which was trifectaed by Kiwis of one sort or another last season.

That was when New Zealand-owned and formerly-trained Who Shot Thebarman just beat Zacada and Sir Charles Road, the latter pair returning tomorrow.

While they have proven 3200m form one of the other NZ reps in Rondinella doesn't as she steps up to the ultimate flat distance for the first time after a brave third in the Tancred last start.

But Glory Days has both last-start 3200m winning form and a proven record on rain-affected tracks as well as Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown.

And she has also been to Riccarton several times, which for cynics might be deemed a negative but Thurlow says will help.

"This might be her first trip to Australia but the way I look at it, it is not much different than going to Riccarton," he explains. "It takes about as long and of course you don't have the ferry trip this time.

"And I am hoping that will help her settle in, the fact she is used to big trips away from home. She got here on Tuesday night and had a light canter on Wednesday and she seemed fine.

"And that is half the battle, getting them over here healthy and eating like they would at home."

Thurlow says that is one reason Glory Days is on a hit-and-head-home mission rather than taking in one of the rich lead-up races.

"One thing we have learned with our horses all the times they have gone to Riccarton, which is where we usually go for an away campaign, is their first race is almost always their best and then they taper off."

By not racing since the Auckland Cup, Thurlow has sacrificed some race hardness for that one-hit wonder happiness in his sometimes cranky mare.

"She had a gallop in between races last week and went good, even though she pulled a bit.

"She is fit though, I'd say she is as good now or very close to as when she won the Auckland Cup."

The likely soft track would seem ideal for Glory Days because while she won the Auckland Cup on a heavy surface Thurlow believes she is at her best on something firmer.

"And the rest we will leave up to Corey. He is a big race 3200m rider and we are lucky to have him."

While drawn barrier 19 that will mean little to Glory Days' chances as she came from last to win the Auckland Cup.

Few of the Australian-trained locals are super scary compared with the European raiders who turn up for a Melbourne Cup, even though there are plenty of former Europeans in the race.

But there will be plenty of punter's love for international raider Dubhe from the Charlie Appleby stable with Kerrin McEvoy to ride.

Sir Charles Road was good enough in fourth last start to suggest he can go a big race again while Zacada has been plain in his two Sydney lead-up races. He was last year as well before almost pulling off the upset of the season with a giant form reversal in the Cup.

Rondinella is a surprise entry as initially she was heading home after the Tancred. The 3200m is a genuine query with her but she was so determined at the end of a slogging 2400m last start it could be in her range on class alone although she could lose some of her 51kg handicap advantage with Sam Clipperton maybe only able to get down to 52kg.

● NZ Thoroughbred Racing has reduced the number of venues to close from the 2019/20 season to seven from the 10 proposed in January. The Blenheim, Wairoa and Reefton tracks have received a reprieve.