It’s two weeks until The Everest and race favourite Think About it made a winning return at Randwick on Saturday to take the $1million Group II ATC Premiere Stakes with a tenacious victory over late charging I Am Invincible stallion Hawaii Five Oh.
Trained by Joe Pride, who will also saddle Private Eye in this year’s Everest, Think About it was primed for his return with two recent trials but presented in the yard as a horse that would take benefit from the run.
He dashed to the lead for Sam Clipperton, but was all out on the line beating Hawaii Five Oh by a head with quality sprinting mare Bella Nipotina a gallant third.
Think About it kept his winning sequence of eight wins on the trot going and now boasts the overall record of 10 wins from 11 starts with prizemoney of $3.4million.
"Big relief. It felt like there was more to lose today than to gain," Pride said.
"He sort of looked a bit lost when he got to the front there and he's up against these big boys now, he can't afford to do anything wrong.
"He wandered around a little bit he'll take good improvement out of that."
Clipperton, who has never been beaten on Think About it, said he had little choice but to hit the front when he did after the leader Lost And Running started to fade.
"It was a perfect run for him because it just seasons his head a bit more," Clipperton said.
"He's basically only dashed up two furlongs and I'm certain that this horse will take a world of improvement out of today."
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 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.
Tiare was sold through the Newgate Consignment at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $150,000 to Tasmania based Grenville Stud. She sadly died earlier this year and her final foal is a yearling colt by Wootton Bassett (GB).
So You Think is likely to have a strong hand on Everest day with Think About It not his only star in action as his older WFA star Think It Over will be also running in the $5million King Charles Stakes.
