When it comes to Care To Think, trainer Matt Dunn already has plenty of owners to deal with and in securing a place in The Kosciuszko he’s welcoming another 460-odd to the fold for the next month.
They hail from Wagga Wagga’s William Farrer Hotel punters club and are already preparing to take Royal Randwick by storm to support their selection.
Dunn said he and the horse’s owners are keen to make sure the group is a part of the lead up to the 1200m $1.3 million race on Everest Day, October 13.
“They will be involved in the preparation, I think a couple of them are going to come to the Gold Coast to watch him trial,” Dunn said.
“They’ll be treated as owners and get all the updates. They are going to be a part of the whole experience.”
The William Farrer’s David Barnhill said there’s already plenty of excitement among the syndicate which was formed from the majority of its 115 punters club teams.
The dealing was left to a sub-committee of four and while they did consider going with a locally trained horse the chance to snag Care To Think was too good to refuse.
“It would have been a good story to have a Wagga horse in it but the committee went this way,” he said.
“We invested a bit of money but with the number of people it wasn’t too big an outlay.
“The concept is great, we really like it, it’s going to be massive in the next few years.”
And the group is really getting into the spirit of The Kosciuszko.
Preparations are already underway for around 120 members to ‘suit up’ and head to Sydney in a convoy of coaches.
Murwillumbah based Care To Think has been favourite for The Kosciuszko since TAB markets opened and having secured his spot heads betting at $3.50.
Both Care To Think and second favourite Victorem, who impressed in a trial last weekend, will tackle the race first-up from a spell.
Dunn sounds particularly bullish about how the gelding, who was unplaced in three Group 1 races in Brisbane culminating in the Stradbroke Handicap in June, is progressing in his preparation.
He will have a jumpout this week ahead of an official trial at the Gold Coast on October 2.
“After he trials he’ll be even money, I promise you,” Dunn said.
“He had his first gallop last week and ran 600m in 31 and 3/4, he runs quick time but never that quick.”
Care To Think has raced at Randwick three times for a fourth at his second race start in a Highway, a Highway win in August last year and a second in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) in March.
– Racing NSW
