Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig will now step Thronum up to Group 1 company following his all the way win in the Group 2 $200,000 Carlton Draught Australia Stakes (1200m) at The Valley last Friday night.
Thronum, above, scores an all the way win in the 2018 Australia Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Winning jockey Mark Zahra rated Thronum ($6.50) perfectly in front and held the small field at bay to record a one and a quarter lengths win over Mr Sneaky ($4.20) with $17 outsider Stellar Collision filling third position.
The Darren Weir trained Japanese import Brave Smash was sent out as the $2.20 favourite but faded in the straight to be beaten three and a half lengths in fifth spot.
Dabernig, who trains in partnership at Lindsay Park with David and Ben Hayes, said the stable will now choose between keeping Thronum at the shorter sprints or step him up to 1400m when he takes on Group 1 company over the 2018 Autumn Carnival.
Thronum’s options will be either the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at February 10 or the Group 1 $500,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on February 24, both at Caulfield or the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10.
“We have a lot of options and we will be aiming at a Group 1 with him now,” Dabernig told racing.com.
“I am not sure if he will be sprinting in an Oakleigh Plate or a Newmarket or go up to the 1400m in the C.F. Orr, but there are plenty of options.”
Thronum has now won two of his three race starts for Lindsay Park since arriving from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Randwick stables with three wins to his credit.
The four year old scored a five lengths win first up the for the new stable in a 1100m BenchMark 78 Handicap at Bendigo on November 1 before finishing third behind Jungle Edge and Casino Wizard in the Group 3 $150,000 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at Sandown at the end of the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival in November.
“He came to us from Gai Waterhouse. He is a horse that has a stack of ability and we have only had him for the three runs,” Dabernig said.
“He won at Bendigo and then he narrowly missed at Sandown at weight for age and then tonight (Friday night) I thought he controlled the race and gave a good kick.”
“He likes a bit of wet track form and although there hasn’t been enough rain to rally affect it, just getting his toe in probably helped him as well.”
“He is a well bred colt who has got a stack of ability and he is going places.”
“He arrived to us in great order and has been great. At the moment he is holding together. He is only a lightly raced horse and I think he has a lot ahead of him.”
Thronum has climbed up the market order for the 2018 C.F. Orr Stakes and if you go to Ladbrokes.com.au you will be able to get $11 in early betting while the Darren Weir pair of Tosen Stardom ($4.50) and Black Heart Bart ($5) are the top two fancies.
