Approaching the home turn in Saturday's Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow had the feeling something special was about to unfold in front of him.
Thurlow's stable star Glory Days and rider Corey Brown had just commenced the same sweeping run that carried her to victory inthe Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) last month and to Thurlow's eye she was travelling just as well, if not better, than she was that day.
Unfortunately, the Red Giant mare couldn't quite reel in the leaders as the effects of a long, hard campaign finally caught up with her in the closing 200m where she had to settle for a meritorious third behind eventual winner Shraaoh.
For Thurlow and the mare's connections it still felt like a win on a bumper day at Randwick that was overflowing with patrons who had taken the opportunity to farewell the wonder mare Winx just one race earlier.
"What a thrill that was," Thurlow said. "I really thought she could do it when I saw her come around them as she was going so well. It was like watching a replay of the Auckland Cup as she did exactly the same thing to win that day.
"I think she just started to feel the effects of this campaign as she has been up since August last year and we had the niggling feeling all week she might have come to the end of it. Corey said she was really travelling but hit the wall at the 200m, however to her credit she kept fighting and to finish third was just a wonderful effort."
It was the first trip to Randwick for Thurlow and an experience he will cherish. "The atmosphere was incredible and something I've never experienced before," he said.
"A Melbourne campaign could be on the cards [for Glory Days] as there are some very nice races for her in the late spring there."
