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By Ray Hickson

Thrill Hunter could well be the gift that keeps giving for trainer Terry Croft if she can back up her surprise debut win and do it again in Saturday’s Group 3 $1m Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Terry Croft (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The 69-year-old Hawkesbury trainer has never had a Golden Slipper runner but if Thrill Hunter happens to finish in the placings she’d be either guaranteed a run or close to it.

She was a $61 outsider when she won the Kirkham Plate at Randwick two weeks ago and Croft said it’s exciting to be thinking about races such as the Slipper.

“We’re hoping she can win or run a place and that would pretty well qualify her for the Slipper so that’d be a box ticked,’’ Croft said.

“This is what we get out of bed for every day. We start work just before 4am, it means everything to me and the staff.

“We’ve had a couple of handy ones over the years, no superstars, nothing that started off like this anyway. She’s progressed and got better as time as come along.”

First prizemoney in the Gift is $580,000 while the runner-up receives $190,000.

There are no exemptions on offer but winning the race basically equates to one and second prizemoney will also pretty much lock her in.

Based on last year, with $82,500 already in the bank plus $22,5000 in BOBS bonus money, even the third prizemoney of $96,000 would be more than enough to put her in the final field even this far out.

Croft, who has 16 horses in work, picked up Thrill Hunter unexpectedly, as he revealed after her debut win, when Peter Wynne purchased her for $280,000 after she was passed in at the Easter Yearling Sales.

Wynne, who was the former owner of the Royal Hotel in Richmond, had already purchased another filly for $270,000 to send to Croft.

“I was just lucky enough the gentleman who bought her trusts me with the horse. He has a few for me,’’ Croft said.

“We’ve won a few races and I think nearly everything we’ve raced has won somewhere.”

Thrill Hunter, $14 with TAB on Wednesday, did it the hard way in winning the Kirkham Plate as the saddle slipped on jockey Ash Morgan during the race.

That was one of the aspects of the win that impressed Croft who says the experience appears to have only been of benefit to her in the interim.

“She drew the outside so she had to do a bit of work early to put herself in a position,’’ he said.

“It’s done her a world of good, on her breeding she’d probably run 1400m or even a mile later on.”

Given those comments, it’s no surprise that Croft is pleased to see the filly draw well in the Golden Gift and give Morgan the chance to ride a race on her.

And while there’s many first starters in the race he doesn’t fear the few that have already taken Thrill Hunter on.

“It’s going to give her every opportunity from the gate, she has good gate speed so she’s just going to lob there and he can do what he likes,’’ he said.

Thrill Hunter wins the Kirkham Plate

“I don’t need to give him any instructions, he’s pretty excited about the horse.

“Three of them that are in the race she’s beaten and I can’t see them turning the tables. She’s done well and eaten up and her work has been good so that’s half the battle.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill