Trainer Joe Pride celebrated his 16th Group 1 success and is eyeing another in two week’s time with his fast improver Think About It onto the Stradbroke Handicap after a career-defining victory in the Group 1 $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m).
Converge (pictured in Sydney) was huge late running second in the 2023 Kingsford Smith Cup results at Eagle Farm. Photo: Steve Hart.
The four-year-old son of So You Think has gone from strength to strength over his nine-start career to date posting win number eight in his elite level debut in the Kingsford Smith Cup 2023 at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Three weeks after his Listed Takeover Target Stakes victory at Gosford the gun galloper showed exactly how good he was in the sunshine state given a lovely ride by now four-time Group 1 winning hoop Sam Clipperton to claim the scalps of a genuine field of sprinters.
After travelling just off the pace throughout one-time favourite Think About It charged home on the straight coming hard on the outside of the Robert Heathcote-trained local Victory Stakes winner Rothfire who had taken over front-running 450m out from the line.
Over the final furlong it was all eyes on Think About It who raced off for a stellar three-quarter length victory.
Flashing home the closing stages in an excellent return to form was the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained fellow four-year-old Converge.
After flying home late Converge finished runner-up while Rothfire lost few admirers holding for third to complete the Kingsford Smith Cup trifecta at his pet track as the 2021 and 2020 JJ Atkins winners respectively finishing in the money.
It was a mixed Kingsford Smith Cup result for Pride whose pace-maker Eduardo faded late to cross the line second last.
“It’s hard watching a race like that as I had Eduardo fading out at the end so sort of mixed emotions,” Pride said.
“But we’ll just see, Eduardo may have just found that track a bit too firm.”
Next-up for Think About It is a trip home to keep training at Warwick Farm before returning to Eagle Farm on June 10 for the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
“This horse here is going from strength to strength,” Pride told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“He’s travelled up well.
“Wow, what a performance. He sat three-wide, got a bit of cover, but was explosive. He had to get past a proper horse in Rothfire and he went through the line well.
“I think 1400m will be no problems with him in a couple of weeks’ time.
“A dynamic performance and he’ll only improve. He’s three weeks between runs so he won’t be going backwards off that.
“As long as he pulls up well…we’ll bring him back up here (for the Stradbroke).
“They’re easy to place good horses.
“It’s so exciting have this horse ripping through the grades, who knows where he’ll get to.”
Think About It now leads the latest all-in 2023 Stradbroke Handicap markets at $4 through Ladbrokes.
