They keep raising the bar for exciting sprinter Think About It and he keeps on delivering with victory in the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on Saturday at Eagle Farm his crowning achievement this season.
The Joe Pride-trained gelding earned a second consecutive Group I win when Sam Clipperton guided him to a dominant one-and-a-half-length victory over proven G1 star Rothfire.
Sporting the colours of Proven Thoroughbreds, Think About It advances his record to nine wins and a third from ten starts with earnings in excess of $2.8million.
The 4yo son of So You Think has already been picked up by Newgate Farm for a slot in this year’s The Everest.
“I’ve waited a long time for a horse like this. He’s pretty good,” Pride enthused.
“Just the way he’s gone through his grades and the way he’s been able to do it. I’m a bit lost for words, it was a really special win today. Just to see him draw away from them – he was never going to get beat.
“He’s just been able to keep climbing. This is the first time I haven’t put him up in grade from one run to the next – and it was Group 1 to Group 1. It was amazing.
“Bring on anything for this horse. I just don’t know where his ceiling is, he’s amazing.
“I’d love to see how far he can run. He ticked off a strong 1400m today, you’d think he could easily run a mile.
“But first thing’s first – the Everest slot. The Everest is there in the spring and it’s hard to imagine him not running well.”
It’s been a stressful week for Pride, who can relax now and look forward to the spring.
“That was amazing. The build-up felt like a lot of pressure. I’m pretty good with pressure normally but it felt so intense all week. He deserved to be favourite, and he showed why today,” he said.
“Every trainer wants a Tie The Knot, a Sunline, a Winx or a Black Caviar, and this horse is really trending the right way. I’m not saying he’s there, but he’s really heading in the right direction.
“I can’t wait to give him a break because I know he’s going to improve significantly on the way back.”
A $70,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Proven Thoroughbreds / Joe Pride Racing from the Newgate Farm draft, Think About It was bred by Lightning Thoroughbreds and foaled and raised at Newgate.
“He looks amazing,” said Newgate’s Henry Field. “He’s clearly among the very best horses in the country, and he just keeps improving.
“It’s a wonderful result for Greg and Donna Kolivos who bred him, and we’re honoured to be in partnership with Proven Thoroughbreds to take him to The Everest.
“Greg and Donna raced an extraordinary horse in Pierro, and it’s a credit to them to have bred Think About It, and it’s a privilege for us to have raised such a phenomenal athlete on the fields of Newgate.
“He was always a nice horse – very well put together and beautifully proportioned, but he was very immature, which was probably reflected in his price tag. But as he matured, he is filling into his frame and now he’s looking very special indeed.”
A $15 chance for The Everest after taking his first G1 in the Kingsford Smith Cup two weeks ago, Think About It has now firmed into $8 for what’s shaping as a cracking edition of Randwick’s big sprint in October, behind Giga Kick at $3.50 and I Wish I Win at $5.
Think about It is the best of three winners from Tiare, a winning half-sister by Flying Spur to Group II winning sprinter Keen Array.
His grand-dam is by Zabeel and the family features two Group I winners in Hong Kong in The Duke and Sky Field, so there is plenty of quality on the page and So You think has produced Group I winners from daughters of both Flying Spur and Zabeel.
Think About It is the leading stake earner this season for So You Think.
Tiare was sold through the Newgate Consignment at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $150,000 to Tasmania based Grenville Stud.
