Bill Thurlow had plenty to celebrate over the weekend across the North Island, with a standout performance by Whangaehu in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa followed by an impressive maiden winner at Otaki.
On Saturday, Thurlow travelled from his Waverley base with two runners for the elite-level feature in Whangaehu and Field Of Gold. The former was coming off a victory in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m), and at his first attempt at weight-for-age, he came from near-last to storm into third place, recording the fastest closing sectionals of the $700,000 feature.
The son of Proisir joined Thurlow’s stable in the spring of 2023, and despite his near-faultless preparation this time in, he caught the TAB bookmakers and his trainer slightly by surprise.
“His performance was actually quite unbelievable, he ran the fastest sectionals in the last four sets,” Thurlow said.
“We knew he would get back, I was hoping not too far, but he is inclined to do that a bit these days. He doesn’t really want to get going early and it’s quite hard to change their pattern, these older horses. We did plan to have him a couple of pairs closer, but that didn’t happen.
“His run was very good, he hit the line strong so it’s encouraging going forward.”
Whangaehu ran seventh in last year’s Gr.2 Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m), and while Thurlow is considering another attempt at the race on March 8, his 100 rating makes him the likely topweight in a field that includes a number of Australian nominations.
“It’s just a matter of where we go now is the hardest option,” he said.
“We decided to go weight-for-age to see how he would cope with it, and also, he’s quite high in the handicaps now and there aren’t a great number of highly-rated stayers in the country. If we were to go to the Auckland Cup, he’ll likely carry topweight.
“We wanted to see if he’d fit in at weight-for-age and he’s done that very well, but going forward, he may go back to a handicap or the Auckland Cup. We’re not too sure and are yet to make a plan.”
In the TAB Futures market for the $600,000 showpiece, Whangaehu is rated an $8 chance on the fourth line of betting, with About Time and Tijanis sharing favouritism at $5.
Closer to home on Sunday, Thurlow was rapt to see his mare Champagne Linda deliver on her early promise when collecting her maiden in The Tele Otaki Maiden (1300m).
A four-year-old by Darci Brahma, Champagne Linda finished runner-up on five occasions, including at her fresh-up run this campaign at Wanganui. Starting a narrow favourite over Meloni, the mare flew the barriers and was in front early at a leisurely tempo, before Turn It Up pressed forward and put the pressure on.
Having had the perfect run in his trail, Champagne Linda hit the lead at the 200m and only continued to extend that margin to the line, taking the race by 2-1/2 lengths to Kingsford.
“She was very, very good, she’s been threatening to do that for a while but this season she’s just come back a lot stronger,” Thurlow said.
“She only went under by a tiny margin at her first start this prep and has improved off that, so it’s really good. The way she won, it won’t be her last.
“We won’t be in any hurry to step her up further, she might go 1400 next start and eventually she may get out to a mile, but we won’t be in a rush to get there.”
Out of Pins mare Love Sophia, Champagne Linda was bred by Harvey and Linda Green’s Huntingdale Lodge 2012 Ltd. The Wanganui couple race her alongside Benjamin Green and Rose Sweeney.
