Thy Hunts NZ Black Type

Jason Bridgman is convinced that Thy can be a major Group One player at Te Aroha on Saturday if she runs up to her best Australian form.

The Matamata trainer will present the O'Reilly mare for the second time when she steps out in the $200,000 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.

Bridgman pointed to Thy's effort to finish fifth behind Red Tracer in the Gr.1 Myers Classic at Flemington last spring as evidence of her ability to match the best mares in New Zealand.

“She came from last on the corner and beat home Floria, Zurella and Zonza and Xanadu was in there, so if you draw a line through that then on her best day she is more than capable of being right in this,” he said.

Thy finished eighth behind Chintz in the Gr. 3 Westbury Classic in her New Zealand debut and Bridgman has worked overtime since then to fine tune the five-year-old.

“She was a little bit disappointing that day and we thought she would go a big race fresh, but she never got on the bridle from the get-go,” he said.

“She raced a bit dour and was doing her best work late. She was coming off a trial the week before and maybe that took the edge off her.

“I've spoken to (former trainer) Peter Moody since her Ellerslie run to glean a bit of his experience with her and we're going to have a throw at the stumps with the blinkers on.”

The Waikato Stud-owned Thy, who will be ridden by Leith Innes, has proved to be a versatile performer with stakes wins over 1200 and 1600 metres and she was also third in the Gr. 1 ATC Oaks at 2400m.

“She's got a nice turn of foot and she can run good closing sectionals,” Bridgman said. “She did a sharp bit of work on Tuesday morning and I'm happy with her.”

Credit - The Informant