Quick Thinker (So You Think) has run his last race, with owners OTI Racing confirming injury has forced a premature end to the five-year-old’s career.
OTI CEO Terry Henderson said last year’s Gr.1 Australian Derby winner arrived in Melbourne ahead of the Caulfield Cup with a significant tendon injury.
“It’s very hard to rehabilitate them from where he is, so we’ll try and find a nice home for him and see if we can make him into a stallion,” Henderson said.
It’s a disappointing end for connections and New Zealand-based trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, who believed Quick Thinker was capable of running a big race in the Caulfield feature after strong form north of the border.
“He ran a nice race in the Newcastle Cup, which gave us the indication he was on track, and when the track looked like being wet last weekend, we thought we’d bring him down for the Caulfield Cup,” Henderson said.
“No way would he have beaten Incentivise, but he may’ve been able to run into the money.
“They’ve done a great job with him, obviously to win a Derby, he’s actually won from 1400m up and all his five wins were all Stake races, he’s done a pretty good job.”
After winning more than $1.2 million in prizemoney, Henderson says the horse will be flown back to New Zealand, where a successful stud career hopefully awaits.
