He’s the horse that refuses to lose and now Think About It is a TAB Everest champion.
He’s the horse that was something of a runt – a skinny, lanky, “ugly”, yearling.
Joe Pride (Pic: Steve Hart)
He’s the $70,000 yearling that Jamie Walter, from syndicator Proven Thoroughbreds, took a chance on and he’s repaying them in spades – or Spuds as his nickname goes – with prizemoney now just under $11 million.
He grew up at Newgate so it was appropriate that he raced with their cap on and in the slot shared with GPI Racing.
It was a triumph for trainer Joe Pride too, who trained first and third with Private Eye filling another placing in a TAB Everest. The pair were split by I Wish I Win, who was held up at a vital stage and made a late dash but it was all too late.
“It was a week I promised myself I was going to enjoy, I can’t say I did but I’ll enjoy this now,’’ Pride said.
“He’s tenacious, there’s not much about him physically to say he’s better than the rest.
“He’s just got a great motor, clearly, a V8 engine and a mind to match. He’s a long way from being finished, he’s had 12 starts.
“I thought the stablemate was going to get past him at the 150m. This horse has never been run down from behind and he’s now climbed mount Everest and still no-one’s ever done it.
“The other bloke was caught a bit wide but you could see both were going to be in the finish. It’s just nice when it comes off, it’ll take a little while to sink in.”
The race was everything we’ve come to expect from the TAB Everest.
Overpass led as most thought but Alcohol Free was up in his face early. Sam Clipperton found the perfect position on Think About It with the three-year-old Cylinder to his inside. I Wish I Win had a three back on the fence position while Private Eye endured a tough run.
But when Think About It hit the front he was never going to allow anything to get past.
“I know it sounds cliché but when he went across the line in the Premiere I visualised this moment,’’ Clipperton said.
“I just knew he had too many gears. He just finds a way, that’s what winners do.
“He doesn’t win by four or five but who’s to say when he gets to a mile or 2000m he doesn’t start winning by four or five. He’s a freak.
“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.”
What the future holds for Think About It, who was only second up, remains to be seen but he’s now in the box seat for a huge bonus if he contests the $3 million Giga Kick Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on November 4.
He’s the series leader on the back of his wins in the Premiere and now the TAB Everest and with double points on offer in the Giga Kick he’ll claim a $1.25 million bonus. Also, he’ll take an extra $1 million bonus if he wins the race for taking out both features.
Pride said he’s excited to see what Think About It can do over a mile in 2024.
“I can’t wait to race him in the autumn over further,’’ he said.
“I’m sure he’ll run further but that’s something we’ll find out in due course.
“It’s going to be a really interesting journey with him, where we go from here. It was an incredible performance to stay at 1200m because after he won the Stradbroke if it wasn’t for The Everest being what it is I never would have aimed him at this race.
“A 1200m race that is, but I’m glad I did.”
