Think About It is on the verge of becoming a two-time Group 1 winner and can show his class while ticking off the achievement in the Stradbroke Handicap this Saturday at Eagle Farm.
He has won his past six starts and took the spoils in his first Group 1 a fortnight ago in the Kingsford Smith Cup, beating home the Waterhouse & Bott-trained Converge.
After travelling just off the pace throughout, he charged home on the straight when coming hard on the outside of Victory Stakes winner Rothfire, who hit the front 450m out from the line, to win by three-quarters of a length.
Trainer Joe Pride celebrated his 16th Group 1 success with the win and will have the So You Think x Tiare gelding ready to take on a quality field including Kingsford Smith Cup rivals Converge and Rothfire.
“This horse here is going from strength to strength,” Pride said.
“It’s so exciting have this horse ripping through the grades, who knows where he’ll get to.”
2023 Kingsford Smith Cup replay
Winner: Think About It
Think About It will jump from gate 12 and is a $2.80 favourite to win the 1400m feature, with Hawaii Five Oh ($5.50) and Converge ($7.50) on the next lines of betting at .
Converge has drawn wide with barrier 17, but co-trainer Adrian Bott said the team was happy with the draw and confidence was still high in the Group 1 winner.
“We are really happy with the draw for Converge, you’d see when we were first-up from an inside gate, he got smothered up a bit, this gives him a bit of room,” Bott said.
“There has been success with these horses that come from a bit wider with some cover.
“I sent Tim Clark a text to say we got 17 and he was quick to point out Alligator Blood won from 17 last year.”
The high-performing team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will unleash Royal Merchant ($14) on the field in an attempt to spoil Think About It’s party.
The Merchant Navy x Seventhchic filly will also be tilting for her second-straight Group 1, after winning The Goodwood at Morphettville last month.
“Royal Merchant has been an amazing sort of horse, to run two PBs in her 11th and 12th run, they were very deep in her prep,” Maher said.
The Maher & Eustace team also trains Ruthless Dame ($9), who will come out of barrier 13 beside Royal Merchant in gate 14.
Winner of the Group 1 JJ Atkins in 2020, Rothfire ($21) will be given the toughest task having drawn the carpark in barrier 23.
“The bookies have said it’s going to be tough for us all week and this barrier makes it harder,” trainer Rob Heathcote said.
“We do have Nash Rawiller on board but, he is one of the best in the business.”
2023 Stradbroke Handicap field
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