The decision to keep Think It Over in Sydney this spring has been vindicated with the gelding scoring a typically tough Group 2 win that has him in contention for a $500,000 bonus.
Connections had been considering a 2021 Cox Plate campaign but with staff unable to travel interstate with their horses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trainer Kerry Parker and owner Richard Johnson opted to stay closer to home.
With his last-start conqueror Verry Elleegant scratched from Saturday’s Hill Stakes (2000m) to run in Melbourne, Think It Over was sent out a $1.75 favourite and while he took the length of the Randwick straight to get past leader Shared Ambition ($6.50), he got the job done.
“It was always going to be a race of tactics,” Parker said.
“You thought those two would go forward and control it but just his will to win. He’s showed that a couple of times. He’s just got good courage and he keeps trying all the way to the line.”
The winner of the Hill Stakes can land a $500,000 windfall if they are able to add the Rosehill Gold Cup on Golden Eagle day and Parker has confirmed Think It Over will be given the opportunity to claim the double.
Think It Over dug deep to score by a short head over Shared Ambition with Cepheus ($51) another 1-1/4 lengths away.
Winning jockey Nash Rawiller says Think It Over is a credit to Parker, who does a tremendous job with a small team at Kembla Grange.
“He’s a real bulldog and he tries so hard,” Rawiller said.
“It’s hard for blokes like Kerry to get a horse like this but he’s just showcased him so well and had him spot-on every time he’s come to the races.”
Rawiller is comfortable with the decision to bypass a Cox Plate tilt and believes Think It Over can put more money in the bank this spring.
“We can go to the Cox Plate next year. With the prizemoney on offer up here and the way things are, he’s pulled the right rein,” he said.
Queensland Oaks winner Duais started second pick but was never in contention, finishing sixth in a performance jockey Hugh Bowman said was “disappointing”.