DEBUT WINNING FILLY CHASING GOLDEN SLIPPER START

SYDNEY won out over Melbourne as Terry Croft at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday attempts to clinch his first Golden Slipper Stakes runner.

The long-standing Hawkesbury trainer opted to stay home with his debutante winner Thrill Hunter for the $1m Golden Gift (1100m) rather than head south for the $400,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.

“There’s not much difference between the Sydney and Melbourne form,” Croft said this morning.

“And she will guarantee herself a start in the Golden Slipper next autumn if she wins the Golden Gift.

“Thrill Hunter has been nominated and paid up for.”

Whilst the Golden Gift doesn’t carry a “free ticket” into the $5m Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 26, the $580,000 first prize is clearly sufficient to gain entry into the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.

“This year’s winner Marhoona made the field with $84,400 prizemoney,” Croft pointed out.

Purchased privately for $280,000 by Wynne Pastoral Partnership after she had been passed in at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, Thrill Hunter kicked off her career with a remarkable victory in the Kirkham Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 25.

A $61 outsider, the Ole Kirk filly’s saddle shifted soon after the start and her rider Ash Morgan’s brilliant horsemanship got her to the post ahead of her rivals.

Thrill Hunter defeated another filly Pearl Of Dubai and the colt Defensemen, who started favorite and will again be a Golden Gift rival.

Croft says Thrill Hunter is ready to run well again on Saturday.

“I haven’t done a lot with her as the Randwick race was only a fortnight ago,” he said.

“But she is eating up and is fine and healthy.

“Thrill Hunter is in good order, and has come up with an inside barrier.

“She will go for a break after Saturday’s race, hopefully having secured a start in the Golden Slipper.”

Bookmakers aren’t offering the same juicy odds about the Hawkesbury filly this time.

She was at $13 with TAB.com.au on Thursday morning, with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Breeders’ Plate placegetter Revengeance (Josh Parr) the early $3.50 favorite.

. Hawkesbury trainers are well represented in the Golden Gift.

Brad Widdup has Anthropoid (Tyler Schiller), Ed O’Rourke has Predation (Jay Ford), and Tommy Wong runs Rapid Progress (Chad Lever).

Anthropoid (fourth) and Predation (sixth) both ran behind Thrill Hunter in the Kirkham Plate, whilst Yes Yes Yes colt Rapid Progress is making his debut after a Randwick 740m trial victory on October 7.

 Story John Curtis, November 6, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos