Smudge Bromac pictured during one of his recent Moonee Valley wins
The Queensland trainer has Smudge Bromac in a semi final of the Australasian Breeders Crown at Bendigo and would like nothing more than to claim the top-four placing that will guarantee him a start in the $301,000 Group 1 final at the same venue on Sunday, August 17.
“That would be awesome,” Thurlow said. “There’s nowhere to hide Saturday night, it’s a fantastic field and I’m very mindful of the opposition, but we’ll just see what happens. It would be great if he got through.”
And, despite Smudge Bromac’s qualifier being packed with leading fancies for the following weekend’s final, the versatile colt cannot be discounted.
The New Zealand-bred son of Falcon Seelster will roll from gate four and has a distinct advantage over many of his fellow interstate rivals.
While Tasmanian star Cody Maverick (barrier one) and boom New South Wales colt Captain Joy (nine) are gearing up for their first appearance in the state, Smudge Bromac is well adjusted to Victorian life.
He’s been down south for several weeks now and has popped in to Moonee Valley for impressive wins on July 18 and 25 at his only two runs since claiming his Breeders Crown heat at Albion Park on July 1.
“The horse has always had ability, but at times he’s been very green, just a typical two-year-old really, but watching his races down here, he’s starting to switch on and learn what it’s all about,” Thurlow said.
That is good news for Thurlow, who is striving to achieve a Breeders Crown double with Smudge Bromac.
He was the driver of inaugural Breeders Crown two-year-old colts and geldings winner Flubber at Bendigo in 1998 and while he has handed over the reins to Chris Alford for this year’s series, he would dearly love to be a Breeders Crown-winning trainer.
“I’ve won it as a driver, with my only drive in the race, and I’d like to win it as a trainer with this horse if for nothing other than my wife owns a share in him and it would keep me in the good books,” he said.
Saturday night’s second two-year-old colts and geldings semi is at 9.30pm, one hour after the opening qualifier.
Headline act of that event is unbeaten Vicbred Super Series champion Living On Fire, but he has drawn gate 10 in a field that also includes Ghadasbest (four), Hilton Fly High (seven), New Zealand raider Ohoka Samson (eight) and Kid Coconut (11).
Along with the first four home from each semi, the next two quickest qualifiers will progress to the following week’s rich final.
