Up-and-coming star Think About It (So You Think) surged into favouritism for the $3m Stradbroke Handicap with a dominant victory in today’s G1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm.
It’s been a stunning rise to fame for the Joe Pride-trained and Proven Thoroughbreds-owned Think About It.
Perfectly placed by Pride, the 4YO entered today’s feature a winner of seven of his eight career starts – including his past two at Stakes level – but had never been tested in a G1 or at Weight For Age.
But he passed both tests with flying colours today, scoring an arrogant win in the short-course feature which takes his career record to 9:8.0.1 and $1,048,175 in prizemoney.
It’s already a phenomenal return on investment for his connections, after Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds’ Jamie Walter bought him out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2020 Premier Yearling Sale for $70,000.
Thewin sees Think About It (pictured) become the 81st individual G1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018 and the 37th in that time that could have been purchased for $100,000 or less.
Newgate’s Henry Field was trackside at Eagle Farm to witness today’s victory.
“He’s a very exciting horse, it was a powerful win today against a very strong field so it’s onwards and upwards to the Stradbroke now,’’ Field said.
“He’s bred by Greg and Donna Kolivos, great supporters of the farm and it’s a wonderful result for them as well.
“At the end of the day, from a Newgate perspective, raising top class racehorses and winning these Group 1 races is the only thing that really matters so it’s great to be doing it again today with Think About It.’’
Jamie Walter was equally as thrilled with the result.
“It’s pretty exceptional, really,’’ Walter reflected this evening before attending a celebration dinner with Think About It’s connections.
“To win eight from nine, it’s bloody hard to do, let alone to progress from a midweeker at Warwick Farm in January to a Weight For Age Group 1 in May.
“He’s top class this bloke, he really is a phenomenal horse and he drops 5kg into the Stradbroke now so assuming he gets home to Warwick Farm and pulls up well, we just have to have a go at the Straddy.
“I’ve been in this game a long, long time and waited for good horses like this bloke and it’s a great thrill to be involved with him.’’
Winning trainer Joe Pride described the win as “dynamic’’.
“What a performance!,’’ an elated Pride said.
“He sat three deep – he got a bit of cover – but he was explosive…and strong through the line.
“This horse is just going from strength to strength. It was a dynamic performance today.’’
On contesting the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm – for which he is now a $3.50 TAB favourite – on June 10, Pride added: “He was three weeks between runs today so he’s not going to take a backwards step so as long as he pulls up well, we’ll get him home to Warwick Farm for a couple of weeks and then get him back up here for the Stradbroke.
“You’d think 1400m will be no problems for him now.’’
Such was the dominance of today’s win, Think About It also firmed into $15 for the $15m The Everest in October, the same price as the likes of fellow Inglis graduates Nature Strip, Mazu and Overpass.
Also at Eagle Farm today, 4YO mare Comrade Rosa (Capitalist) scored a valuable first black type win with victory in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes.
Trained by Tony Gollan, Comrade Rosa is a $100,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for her owners Linda and Graham Huddy of Peachester Lodge.
She was offered at Easter by her breeders Kitchwin Hills.
Comrade Rosa will next contest the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on June 10 before a possible tilt at the G1 Tatt’s Tiara at the same track a fortnight later.
And in Singapore tonight, the Michael Clements-trained Coin Toss (Flying Artie) backed up his win in the Listed Singapore 3YO Classic three weeks ago with a similarly dominant victory in the G2 Singapore Guineas.
It was a fourth career win at just his ninth star and ensured he claimed the first two legs of the 3YO Triple Crown.
Coin Toss is a $175,000 Premier Yearling Sale buy for Bevan Smith Bloodstock and Kuldeep Singh Rajput, from the Two Bays Farm draft.
Two Bays pinhooked the horse, having bought him themselves for $15,000 out of the Newgate Farm draft at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.
