Sprinter's rise as Everest favourite astounds Joe Pride

The Everest favourite Think About It resumes in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Joseph Pride is trying not to focus on The TAB Everest favourite tag on Think About It as his boom sprinter attempts to put his rivals on notice in Saturday's Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

Think About It's rise over the past 12 months is already one of the most remarkable of any horse in the country after going from Class 1 winner at this time last year to the horse to beat in next month's $20m feature.

The star son of So You Think put together a devastating run of seven straight victories earlier this year including back-to-back Brisbane Group 1s in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap.

Pride has now got The Everest in his crosshairs where Think About It is the outright $4 favourite following the scratchings of last year's winner Giga Kick and Sheraco Stakes victor Sunshine In Paris.

Think About It you superstar! He wins the pinnacle of Queensland racing, the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm ????pic.twitter.com/Cf6UiMoMQR

— TAB (@tabcomau) June 10, 2023

"I am trying not to look too much at the markets because they don't really mean much to me and believe it or not I don't have to have a bet in the race," Pride said.

"But I would be lying if I said I didn't see the market, I just don't want to look at it too much.

"Think About It only won a maiden in August last year so it's astonishing for a horse to get to that level so quickly but happy to have him in my camp.

"It's a great time, a nerve racking time and we have two and a half weeks to go so plenty to take in."

Think About It was snapped up by Newgate before his brilliant Stradbroke victory and will be one of two Pride-trained runners in the race alongside last year's runner up Private Eye.

Think About It has won seven straight races. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Pride will give Think About It the chance to get the cobwebs out in the Premiere but expects he will still have plenty left in the tank as he aims to peak on October 14.

"It may sound silly but I don't think I know enough about him in terms of race preparations (where he will be at on Saturday) because he has only basically had two preparations," Pride said.

"His first preparation he had three runs and his second preparation was seven runs in an extended preparation that went from January to the Stradbroke and he only had a couple of weeks in the paddock.

"How many runs it takes him to get to his peak, it's still a bit of an unknown but he has good residual fitness from Queensland and a couple of nice trials.

"I would say whatever he does on Saturday, he will be a couple of lengths better in The Everest."

Think About It, to be ridden by Sam Clipperton, has been $2.30 to $2.10 since TAB betting opened for the Premiere.

Gun mares Bella Nipotina ($5) and Zapateo ($6.50) as well as Hawaii Five Oh ($8.50) are the only other horses in single digits.