Six-year-old gelding Glory Mission made an impressive return to racing at Devonport on Wednesday, giving trainer Mark Ganderton plenty to look forward to heading towards the Tasmanian summer carnival.
The son of Stratosphere, an $80,000 purchase at the 2022 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, was having his first start since suffering an injury at Caulfield in May 2025.
Despite the lengthy absence, Glory Mission returned in winning style, taking his record to four wins from just 10 starts and lifting his career earnings to $132,110.
He started second favourite behind the odds-on Ozonica, who had to settle for third, while Glory Mission’s stablemate Thinkskinned, a son of Needs Further, produced an eye-catching performance to finish runner-up after coming from last.
Ganderton told Tasracing’s Colin McNiff that he is looking forward to the summer carnival with Glory Mission, believing the gelding has a good race in him.
Glory Mission also boasts an attractive pedigree. He is out of the Street Hero mare Gloray, who is building an impressive record in the breeding barn. She has produced six foals to race, with five individual winners.
Gloray is also closely related to VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss, the dam of another VRC Oaks winner in Miami Bound, adding further depth to the family.
It has been an encouraging period for Ganderton, who recently celebrated a training milestone, and the performances of Glory Mission and Thinkskinned suggest there could be plenty more to come.
With Glory Mission returning successfully from a lengthy injury-enforced absence and Thinkskinned indicating he will appreciate further ground, Ganderton appears to have two promising gallopers to take into the upcoming summer carnival.
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