Troy Corstens believes Thrillster and Really Swish are both promising horses and is expecting good showings from the stablemates in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo.
Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon, also nominated Icon but will rely on Thrillster and Really Swish in Saturday’s 1000m-race for two-year-olds.
Thrillster made an encouraging debut in the Listed St Albans Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 23, finishing in a dead-heat for second in the race won by Chess Star.
Really Swish was sixth in the Listed Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington in November and resumed in a 1000m maiden at Morphettville on March 17, hitting the line strongly to be beaten only half a length.
“They are both really promising horses and I’m very happy with both of them,” Corstens said.
Corstens said the pair had been to the team’s Geelong stable to freshen up at the beach since their last starts before returning to the Flemington stable on Tuesday to continue preparations for Bendigo.
Corstens likes what he has seen from the pair so far.
“I think Thrillster’s a very, very talented filly,” he said.
“To do what she did first-up in a Listed race was fantastic, but Really Swish is probably a preparation ahead and he’s pretty much a bombproof colt that does everything right and has a great attitude.
“Probably the 1000 metres is going to suit him.”
Thrillster has to drop back in distance from 1200m on Saturday but Corstens said it tied in nicely with her preparation ahead of another upcoming VOBIS race.
“I’d be really disappointed if both of them didn’t run well,” Corstens said.
Ben Thompson will ride Really Swish with Noel Callow to take the ride on Thrillster.
In-form King’s Command holds a nomination for the Listed Golden Mile (1600m) on Saturday’s program but Corstens said he would instead run in the 1400m benchmark 90 race, chasing his third-straight win.
Corstens said last-start Mornington Guineas winner Spring Choice would bypass Saturday’s Bendigo Guineas (1400m) and wait for the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas over 1800m a week later.
