Everest fancy shows competitive streak in trial win
Everest hopeful Think About It has forgotten how to lose.
This was only a barrier trial but Think About It’s competitive nature took over as he zoomed home from near last on the turn to win the 789m heat at Warwick Farm on Tuesday morning.
Trainer Joe Pride said Think About It wants to win everything he contests, whether it is a barrier trial or a race.
“Think About It hasn’t been beaten in a race or barrier trial this year,’’ Pride said.
“He wants to overtake the other horses and he doesn’t want to get overtaken himself.
“He has this perfect racing instinct, he wants to get past every other horse. I don’t care about winning trials, he doesn’t need to win trials but he just wants to win them anyway.
“I didn’t need him to have a big hitout today but it is just a reflection of the horse and his competitive nature.’’
Think About It, who is on a seven-race winning streak, is due to resume in the Group 2 $1m Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on September 30 and then go straight to the $20m The TAB Everest over the same course and distance two weeks later.
“I will trial him again on September 22 and then its eight days into the Premiere,’’ Pride said.
“He’s a high-energy horse and I just want to knock some of that nervous energy out of him before he goes to the races.’’
Think About It, who has been selected for The Everest by Newgate Farm, won successive Group 1 races in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap to close out his four-year-old season.
He is on the third line of TAB fixed odds Everest betting at $6 behind defending champ Giga Kick at $4.50.
Pride was also impressed by the trial effort of new stable recruit, City Of Lights, a daughter of Deep Impact and Vegas Showgirl, which makes the mare a half-sister to all-time great Winx.
City Of Lights, who won her only start in a Geelong maiden in June, was given an easy time before finishing a close sixth in her 789m trial.
“I was happy with her trial,’’ Pride said. “I’m still learning about her so I’m planning to give her another trial before finding a race for her.’’
