A red-letter day for Proven Thoroughbreds saw THINK ABOUT IT and PRIVATE EYE claim 1st and 3rd respectively in The Everest, earning their owners the best part of $10 million.
In front of a packed Royal Randwick crowd, trainer Joe Pride had THINK ABOUT IT (red cap of slotholder Newgate Farm) and PRIVATE EYE (green cap of slotholder Max Whitby/Neil Werrett) trained to the minute and that was backed up in their performances.
THINK ABOUT IT made the most of a sweet run in transit to hit the front at the 200m mark and never looked like being headed while PRIVATE EYE chased gallantly in third after being exposed three-wide for the duration of the 1200m contest.
To see Proven’s flagship gallopers so prominent in the world’s richest turf race was an incredible experience and one we will be eternally grateful for.
A mere $70,000 yearling purchase by Proven at the 2020 Inglis Premier Sale, THINK ABOUT IT is now the highest stakes earner currently racing in Australia ($10.9 million) having won 11 of his 12 starts. For such a lightly raced horse to claim this title is truly amazing and illustrates just how lucrative an Everest triumph can be.
PRIVATE EYE’s rise to stardom is similarly remarkable. He was bought for $62,500 at the 2019 Adelaide Magic Millions Sale and now has more than $8.8 million in prizemoney, courtesy of 11 wins and two Everest placings, having also finished 2nd in the multi-million-dollar event last year.
Think About It wins the #TABEverest! @PrideRacing @ProvenTbreds pic.twitter.com/zqcmxmkFRj
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 14, 2023
“I’m not sure why I am so calm,” Pride said.
“I’ve won plenty of big races and maybe I came here today too confident but I just thought I had both horses spot-on. That is unbelievable, they both ran terrific.
“It’s the vagaries of racing. I’ve brought horses to the races before in terrific order and I’ve gone home with my tail between my legs and got nothing so this is amazing.
“But Think About It has won the big one, that’s the won we wanted to tick off.
“This horse has never been run down in his life. He’s now climbed Mount Everest and still nobody has overtaken him from behind.
“I don’t think I’ll feel pressure anymore in any race after that. You feel like Edmund Hiliary, once you climb Mount Everest, what do you do after that? But I’d love to climb it again!”
Pride has built an outstanding record in The Everest since its inception 7 years ago. From three individual horses he has a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd to his name.
Jockey Sam Clipperton, who remains unbeaten in nine rides aboard THINK ABOUT IT, said he always had supreme confidence in his mount.
“I was visualising this since he won The Premiere, I just thought he’s got too many gears they won’t beat him. I couldn’t say that out loud but that’s what it felt and he’s just proven me right.”
“I had such a nice run in the race and travelled so well. This stuff doesn’t happen, it just went too perfect.
“I guess that’s what very good horses do, maybe even champions, they eliminate the opposition.”
“If you had have told me when I started that I was going to win an Everest well, The Everest didn’t exist and now it’s exploded into one of the most incredible races in the world and I’m just incredibly proud. I can’t believe it.”
Pride indicated both THINK ABOUT IT and PRIVATE EYE are likely to clash again in the $3 million Giga Kick (Winners) Stakes at Rosehill on November 4.