Cup quest for in-form mare Thalassophile

Thalassophile has been a work in progress for much of her career but the four-year-old has blossomed into a genuine black-type performer this season.

After working through her grades and distances, the daughter of Not A Single Doubt had the bar raised over the summer and put the writing on the wall with a slashing second in the Belle of The Turf Stakes at her first black-type test.

Trainer Chris Waller then earmarked the Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) as an autumn carnival target and Thalassophile delivered with her maiden stakes success, backing it up a run later with a narrow second to Gin Martini in the Epona Stakes (1900m).

It has already been a fruitful campaign and one Waller is optimistic the mare can build upon from a low draw in Saturday's Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill.

"Thalassophile, she's done a great job this preparation," Waller said.

"She has gone to a new level, just with maturity and confidence.

"She's got a nice draw which I think will be a big plus."

One of up to five Lord Mayors Cup runners for the stable, Thalassophile is regarded as Waller's top seed and has been backed from $11 into $7.

She was having her first start in six weeks when midfield behind Doomben Cup hopeful Palmetto in The Coast (1600m) at Gosford on May 6 and Waller expects her to relish a distance rise, and the bigger expanses of her home track.

"The race didn't suit at Gosford last start and she's won over 1900 metres this prep at a similar level, so the 2000 metres should really suit her," he said.

Waller is chasing his fifth win in the Lord Mayors Cup and will have weight of numbers in his favour.

While Pretty Amazing and Rousseau have been scratched to run in Brisbane and Lord Ardmore is only "fifty-fifty" to take his place from barrier 15, Desert Icon, Wicklow and Shameless Miss will all join Thalassophile in the feature.

"Desert Icon was brilliant first-up, a little bit flat second-up so he should improve off that," Waller said.

"Wicklow has a tricky barrier (16) but Brett Prebble knows him well and he won the Wagga Cup last start from a similar draw so he's in good form and can certainly hold it.

"Shameless Miss will probably need further."

Annabel Neasham will also have multiple runners including last year's victor Hopeful who is bidding to become the first dual winner of the race since Passetreul (1972, 1974) and the first to go back-to-back since Fair Patton in 1964-65.