James Cummings regards Thermosphere’s win in the Edward Manifold Stakes as a confidence-booster for the filly going into the Thousand Guineas.
Cummings said he had little hesitation backing her up a week after her win at Group Two level at Flemington after the way she pulled up.
“She has been marching around the stables this week like she owns the place,” Cummings said.
Cummings said he felt Thermosphere had been building towards winning a race like the Edward Manifold Stakes, so he wasn’t surprised by her performance.
The style in which she did it justified his decision to start her against the top fillies in Saturday’s Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
He said Thermosphere would also be better for the experience of racing in the anti-clockwise direction for the first time.
“It was encouraging how well she handled her first time going in this direction in the Manifold, also switching onto her Melbourne leg was no problem for her,” Cummings said.
At Flemington last week, the three-year-old started from barrier 11 and was trapped wide throughout but Cummings believed she would get a much more economical run from barrier two on Saturday.
“She handles a wet track, we couldn’t be much happier,” Cummings said.
Godolphin and Cummings will also be represented by Cascadian in the Toorak Handicap and the trainer is confident the horse is ready to win.
Cummings said Cascadian didn’t have any luck in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes where he finished eleventh and went to the line untested after being held up for a run for most of the straight.
“He’s fresh, he’s feeling good and he’s up to 1600 metres for the first time this campaign,” Cummings said.
“If there was any concern it could be that he’s weighted right up to his best, but we have faith in him
“It’s looking like this could be a case of the tectonic plates moving into the right position for a horse whose preparation has been faultless.”