THINK ABOUT IT showed why he is favourite for the $20m The TAB Everest by finding a way to win again at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The Group 2 $1m Premiere Stakes (1200m) lived up to the hype and then some with THINK ABOUT IT recording his eighth consecutive win in a thrilling finish.
Trainer Joe Pride and syndicator Proven Thoroughbreds have now cleaned up both the major Everest lead-ups with Private Eye winning The Shorts two weeks ago.
“I wasn’t sure if THINK ABOUT IT needed to race today but as it turned out, he has got a little tired late,” 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.”
Think About It hangs on from Hawaii Five Oh in the Premiere Stakes!@PrideRacing @ProvenTbreds pic.twitter.com/jAX7s5TjPA
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 30, 2023
THINK ABOUT IT ($1.85 favourite), ridden by Sam Clipperton, held off the late surge of HAWAII FIVE OH ($8.50) to win by a long-head with another potential Everest hopeful BELLA NIPOTINA ($7.50) three-quarters of a length away third.
Clipperton said THINK ABOUT IT’s “picket fence (consecutive wins) is starting to get a little bit hard to ignore.”
“It’s just great have him back, he’s a horse that even though he’s doing what he’s doing, multiple Group 1 winner, he’s still learning,” Clipperton said.
“When I ended up on the fence, the place I didn’t want to be, when LOST AND RUNNING rolled off I had to just punch him through it and hit the front way too soon, but the run presented and I had to get him mobile.
“It was a perfect run for him because it just seasons his head a bit more. He’s basically only dashed up two furlongs and I’m certain that this horse will take a world of improvement out of today.”
Pride said THINK ABOUT IT had not been ridden in behind the lead before but the gelding again demonstrated his rare ability to adapt to any situation.
“I’m sure it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him ridden in behind them on the inside, not a lot of horses enjoy that,” Pride said.
“He’s been a horse that Sam (Clipperton) has always been able to give a lot of galloping room to. I think that’s really what he likes because he’s such a big striding horse.
“It’s a bit relief to win, it felt like there was more to lose today than to gain but it’s good.”
THINK ABOUT IT firmed from $4 to $3.50 favourite The TAB Everest, run at Royal Randwick on October 14. Private Eye is on the third line of betting at $5.
Pride conceded it will be a tense couple of weeks in the build-up to the world’s richest turf race.
“This is going to shave a couple of years off my life,” Pride said.
“I’ve got two to worry about so I can balance my stress between two horses, and we’ll be back here in couple of weeks’ time with two horses ready to go.”
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