Thermosphere to run

Last-start G3 Magic Night S. winner Thermosphere (Exosphere) is a confirmed runner in the G1 Golden Slipper S.

Godolphin said the filly will take her place, joining the Anthony Freedman-trained colt Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) as Sheikh Mohammed's representatives in the race in a bid to retain the title held by Kiamichi (Sidestep).

"The team are excited to see if she (Thermosphere) has what it takes, to improve enough in the Golden Slipper, the hardest 2-year-old race on the calendar," trainer James Cummings said.

Valley fits Gaby

Co-trainer David Eustace is banking on a return to racing at The Valley to provide another Group 1 win for Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) when she runs in Friday night’s William Reid S.

The filly has recorded Group 1 placings in her only two starts this campaign, on top of three placings and a win at the highest level last year.

The G1 Manikato S. winner at The Valley in the spring, Loving Gaby finished third two runs back in the G1 Lightning S. before she was second in the G1 Newmarket H.

"Sometimes people target the William Reid thinking it might be a slightly lesser Group 1," Eustace said. “I don't think it will be this year. It should be a good race."

G1 winner retired

Time has been called on the racing career of the gifted staying mare Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant USA}).

Trained by part-owner Bill Thurlow, she won the G1 Auckland Cup last year and then headed to Sydney to finish third in the G1 Sydney Cup.

Glory Days returned home to spell and was then set on a path toward the G1 Melbourne Cup, but her campaign was cut short by a leg injury after three preparatory runs in Victoria.

The mare performed well below par in three subsequent domestic appearances this year and the decision was made to retire her.

Bred by Gloria Kenny and the late Jack Georgetti, Glory Days was a private purchase for Thurlow and his family and with a G3 Avondale Cup victory also on her resume, she won 10 races and more than NZ$750,000.

Hasahalo breaks record

Quality mare Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel) has been purchased by the China Horse Club for a record NZ$670,000 off gavelhouse.com to surpass the previous highest on-line sale of Consensus (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) for NZ$622,500.

Trained throughout her career by Stephen McKee, she won the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the G3 Eclipse S. and finished runner-up in the Karaka Million.

Hasahalo was purchased by Albert Bosma’s Go Racing NZ$110,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka where she was offered by co-breeder Waikato Stud.

She is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Halloween and from the family of the G2 Valley Vase winner Savvy Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) and his brother Generous Nature (NZ), winner of the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality.

Cup spot on line

The Michael Moroney-trained Aktau (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) will be chasing a G1 Caulfield Cup when he lines up in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup.

Formerly with English trainer Roger Varian, Aktau has raced three times in Australia with two wins to his credit.

"It will be four weeks between runs, but he's the sort of horse that I think we'll be able to get away with it with," Moroney said. "I've done some fast work with him to get him ready which is a bit earlier than normal because I'm well aware he's got to go a mile and a-half.

"It's his first campaign and we're hoping he can win it to qualify for the Caulfield Cup and make it a bit easier on him."

Valuable filly

Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) half-sister Covent Garden (Exceed And Excel) was given a quiet trial at Rosehill on Monday morning.

Trained by Chris Waller for breeder John Camilleri, the 2-year-old was making her first trial appearance and wasn’t bustled on a heavy track to finish fourth in her 900 metre heat won by stablemate Brookspire (Hinchinbrook).

A half-sister to the stakeswinner Ruettiger (Duporth), she was purchased for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she was offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds.

Close call

One-time favourite Cellsabeel (Hinchinbrook) looks likely to sneak in to the G1 Golden Slipper S. field with the G3 Black Opal S. winner Barbaric (I Am Invincible) to bypass the race.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Cellsabeel finished a close third in the Black Opal with the trainers also to run Prague (Redoute’s Choice), Muntaseera (I Am Invincible) and Away Game (Snitzel).

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) is the Slipper favourite ahead of the barrier draw on Tuesday.

Valley query

Trainer Gordon Richards has little idea how Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) will cope with The Valley for the first time in Friday’s G1 William Reid S.

"I'm not sure whether The Valley will be the right place for him, but that's where the race is so we'll have to go there.

"He'll turn up on Friday night and if he likes the track he'll go well and if he doesn't like The Valley he probably won't go well."

Gytrash proved himself at the highest level when he won the G1 Lightning H. in the hands of Mark Zahra, who will continue his association with the sprinter.

Back on screen

Popular thoroughbred show Bred To Win will return on Tuesday evening. The first in a new edition of the Caroline Searcy-hosted series will be screened on Sky Thoroughbred Central.

Supported again by high-level industry contributors Inglis, Sky Racing, Arrowfield Stud, Cambridge Stud, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Australia and Aushorse the program includes “The Horse Who Made You Love Racing” and also features a full breeding round up of the weekend’s major racing in the Cambridge Stud Bred To Win “Wrap.”

Premier showing will be 9pm on Sky Thoroughbred Central (Foxtel Ch 528) with replays at 11.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 7am, Saturday 9.30pm and Sundays at 8.30am and 11pm.

Bred To Win can also be watched live and during replays on racingnsw.com.au and segments are available through Sky Racing and on Caroline Searcy’s You Tube channel.

Track measures taken

The Brisbane Racing Club has taken measures to ensure the best track surfaces for its winter carnival.

There was some extra wear at Eagle Farm two weeks ago when there was noticeable kick-back.

Two midweek meetings will be transferred from Doomben to Eagle Farm on March 25 and April 13 while two Saturday meetings will go from Eagle Farm to Doomben on March 28 and April 11.

Potential Australian assignments

Trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler are now eyeing some potential Australian targets with two of their runners after their solid performances at Trentham on Saturday.

Dual stakeswinner Lightning Jack (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) placed in the G2 Wellington Guineas while Feel The Rush (NZ) (Proisir) finished third in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.

The duo will remain in the North Island to target the G3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic at Awapuni later this month.

“The long-term plan at the moment is to take them to South Australia for the Oaks and Derby, but with everything happening around the world at the moment I guess things are up in the air,” Kelvin Tyler said.

Stakes target

Trainer Chrissy Bambry has a small but select team and maintained the stable’s rich vein of form when sending out talented 3-year-old Lord Bouzeron (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) to win over 2200 metres at Woodville on Sunday.

Lord Bouzeron will now step up to Group company in the G3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic at Awapuni on Saturday week.

“He keeps raising the bar. The more we throw at him, the more he steps up. He is bred to get over a trip and I think the Derby distances and further won’t be a problem for him,” Bambry said.

Bambry is likely to have a two-pronged attack on the Manawatu Classic, with Otis (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), a last-start winner at Trentham, also being aimed at the feature.

Derby bid

Tony Pike’s G1 New Zealand Derby winner Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) will head to Sydney on Tuesday evening and run in the G1 Rosehill Guineas on Saturday ahead of his main aim, the G1 Australian Derby.

“I bustled Chris (McNab) over there before the lockdown and Mark Hills is there too. We were supposed to swap the staff over this week and that’s been ruled out,” he said. “Poor old Mark had to ring his wife and tell her he won’t be home for another three or four weeks.”

A former Group 1 winning jockey, Hills is in Sydney with Pike’s G1 Canterbury S. winner The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) and stablemate Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt)., who finished third under Nash Rawiller in a 900 metre trial at Rosehill on Monday morning.

“Nash was really happy with him. The horse gave him a great feel and was very professional," Pike said. "If I am happy with his progress through the week we may run him in the G3 The Schweppervescence at Rosehill on Saturday week. We would then get him ready to head to Brisbane.”