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Find your Sport Nation frequencyThurlow hoping for change of Guineas luck
Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • November 5th, 2026 2:52 pm
Park In The Bar will be one of two runners for Bill Thurlow in Saturday's Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton | Photo: Jane Davidson / Race Images
Bill Thurlow will be chasing an upswing in his Classic fortunes at Riccarton where in-form fillies Francie Rules and Park In The Bar face the sternest test of their brief careers in Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
While the Waverley trainer acknowledges it’s a major step up, he is more than happy with their lead-up performances and the pair headed south for the Barneswood Farm-sponsored feature earlier this week at the top of their games.
“Neither of them have done anything wrong, they’ve raced well and deserve a crack,” Thurlow said.
“Having said that, it’s not going to be easy, but they haven’t been exposed yet.
“They have run in easier races and I’ve purposefully done that, it is a bit of an unknown, but they have worked very well since they last raced and are in great order.”
Thurlow’s prestige race hopes rest with the duo, having been forced to abandon plans to tackle the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) with unbeaten colt Old Fashioned.
He won his only start last season and then accounted for the talented Asturia in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) before a hoof issue scuppered plans for a trip to Riccarton.
“He’s good now, he had that setback and we just couldn’t get to where we wanted to be with him missing some work,” Thurlow said.
“He’s having a bit of a quiet time right now and will probably head toward the Levin Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) or something like that, there’s plenty of options.”
Francie Rules and Park In The Bar have impressed in their short careers, with only a handful of starts between them.
“It’s a big ask and they may lack that bit of brilliance to beat some of the better fillies, but if you’re not there, you’ll never know,” Thurlow said.
Francie Rules finished fourth in her only juvenile outing before she was fourth when resuming in September and then stepped out again on her home track last month to break her maiden.
“I think she will get a mile, and the other filly has got a bit more brilliance but has got a bad draw (14) so she’ll have to go back and be ridden for luck, I’d say,” Thurlow said.
“I can’t split them, as I say neither of them have done anything wrong.”
Lily Sutherland has been booked for Wild Ruler’s daughter Francie Rules while Floor Moerman is back aboard Park In The Bar.
Moerman rode the Ardrossan filly to a debut victory and she followed up with a fourth placing against older opposition at New Plymouth.
“I thought her last run was very good, she had to cart the field up to a pair of tearaways,” Thurlow said.
“She hit the front at the 100 and weakened a bit, she wasn’t screwed right down.”
The fillies have been accompanied south by the highly regarded Makarov, who will step out in the Gold Club Premier (1600m) with Craig Grylls to guide him from a wide alley (20).
A son of Russian Camelot and the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) winner Etah James has collected a debut win and two placings from three appearances.
“I think he’s a very good horse and we’ll see the best of him over ground in the autumn, but the big, roomy track down there will suit him,” Thurlow said.
