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4 Godolphin Group Runners To Watch on Saturday September 5th

Wed 2nd September 2020

As usual, Godolphin have a strong hand heading into Saturday’s racing, with four runners competing in the Group races at Moonee Valley and Randwick.

Moonee Valley

Race 6 – Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) – Hanseatic

Blue Diamond runner-up Hanseatic resumes for his three-year-old season here, opening the $3.10 favourite in the McEwen Stakes.

“There are some high-speed horses in the race, but it looks like being a small field, so we’re satisfied that will suit a horse with his turn-of-foot.

“He can be keen in his races, but a strong pace should allow him to get into a good rhythm.

“We haven’t asked a lot of him in his jump outs, he’s a horse that does well fresh.”

Randwick

Race 6 – Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) – Thermosphere

Thermosphere was very close to reeling in Dame Giselle in the Silver Shadow Stakes last start, and is currently an $8.50 chance on Saturday at the 2020 Furious Stakes.

“I thought she was close to another Stakes win before her first-up run and as it turned out, she couldn’t have gone much closer.

“Thermosphere will need to be up to the task here back to set weights and on top of the ground, which makes this race another excellent test.”

Watch: Thermosphere work home strongly behind Dame Giselle last start.

Race 7 – Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) – Avilius

Avilius kicks off his spring here at the 2020 Chelmsford Stakes, in a race that he finished second in last year on his way to claiming the Group 1 George Main Stakes.

“We have afforded Avilius an extra couple of weeks to prepare him for his first-up run and he’s showing the benefit.

“He enjoyed himself in an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill last Saturday and his coat has cleaned up a little more.

“We feel we are building the right program for him.

“I think he can run well first-up and get his campaign off to a great start.”

Race 8 – Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) – Colette

The talented mare returns as a four-year-old at the Tramway Stakes, after her impressive Australian Oaks win in the autumn.

“She has challenges before her as a four-year-old.

“She’s going well but has to defy history to some extent this spring to prove herself better than many recent Oaks winners.

“She’s returned from her spell a stronger-bodied mare who might nevertheless find herself out of her comfort zone over the 1400m on Saturday.

“There’s a smorgasbord of options for her this spring, which of them we choose will become clearer in time.”

Watch: Colette claim the Australian Oaks in the autumn.

From Muswellbrook to the Melbourne Cup, Will is mad about all things racing and sport. Spent countless hours in the backyard as a child pretending to be Glenn McGrath, and has been known to get deadly late swing with a taped tennis ball.

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