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Ambitious plans ahead of Thrasher

14 April 2020

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By Glenn Davis

Impeccably bred filly Thrasher could be on the big stage in Melbourne this spring if she breaks her maiden status at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.

Thrasher, a Mark Du Plessis mount, has run second at her only two starts this campaign and will be out to go one better in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Handicap (1400m).

Trainer Chris Munce has a good opinion of the daughter of Not A Single Doubt who was sold for $430,000 at the Magic Millions sales at the Gold Coast in January last year.

Thrasher is a grand daughter of former champion juvenile Merlene who started only six times for five wins including the Group One Golden Slipper Stakes and Group One AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes in 1996.

Her great grand-dam, Bold Promise, won the Magic Millions Classic twice when it was run in two divisions in 1991 before going on to be Group 1 placed.

Munce believes Thrasher has a bright future and is hopeful of heading to the Brisbane winter feature races before a Victoria Oaks campaign in Melbourne in the spring.

Racing Queensland has announced a revamped Brisbane winter program, headlined by the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap and the Group 1 J J Atkins at Eagle Farm on June 6.

The J J Atkins is normally run over 1600 metres but has been shortened to 1400 metres this year due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Munce knows what it takes to win a J J Atkins having won it twice during his illustrious riding career aboard Reigning To Win (2006) and Sizzling (2012) when the race was known as the T J Smith.

“I was shattered when the J J Atkins was reduced to 1400 metres but she’ll still head that way,” Munce said.

“She’s a very good filly and potentially is an Oaks filly.

“She’ll head towards the J J Atkins then I’ll put her away and aim for the Victoria Oaks in Melbourne in the spring.”

Thrasher has started only four times but showed she was close to a win with a fast finishing second to the promising Steve O’dea-trained Tumbler Ridge over 1350 metres at Doomben on April 4.

It followed her previous second when she resumed in a 1200-metre Maiden at the Sunshine Coast on March 20.

“She’s still learning her trade and putting blinkers on her at the start of this campaign has probably helped her,” Munce said.

Racing Queensland webnews  April 14