The Kris Lees trained Thump might have earned herself a shot at a Group 1 trophy after causing a huge boilover in the Group 2 $175,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm today.
Thump causes huge boil over in winning the Surround Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
Lees is now considering a start in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 22 after the Red Ransom filly scored her second Group 2 victory at the good odds of $26.
The Broadmeadow trainer listened to Jim Cassidy recommendation to put the blinkers back on after the filly finished seventh to Sweet Idea in the Group 2 $175,000 Red Lea Chickens Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 22 at her first run back from a spell.
“It looked like she lost a little bit of interest and she was back further than we expected so on Jimmy’s recommendation we out the blinkers back on and I think it switched her on,” Lees said.
“She’s nice filly and I expected more the other day and now she is back to where we expected.”
Today’s win was Thumps first beyond 1200m and Less will now consider stepping the filly up in distance again as he contemplates a start in the Coolmore Classic.
“She hadn’t proven herself at that trip so I will have to reassess with her and make a consideration like the Coolmore now,” Lees said.
Cassidy had Thump travelling on the pace today and the filly responded well in the straight to hold out Real Surreal ($6.50) from the Team Hawkes stable and Thump’s stablemate Lucia Valentina who was also sent out at the huge odds pf $51.
The Peter Snowden trained Guelph ($2.60 favourite) was disappointing again finishing eighth after a first up sixth in the Light Fingers Stakes and Sweet Idea ($3.20) from the Gai Waterhouse stable also struggled in the straight to just finish in front of the favourite.
