Stradbroke Handicap winner Think About It could be Joe Pride’s best ever

Stand up and take note, there’s a new kid on the block.

Think About It has climbed his own mini Everest and put his flag firmly in the ground among Australia’s top three sprinters following a breathtaking Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Just when Giga Kick and I Wish I Win looked set to dominate the Australian sprint scene, the nine-start veteran has emerged to join the new holy trinity of the Australian turf.

Humble Sydney trainer Joe Pride has had Group 1 stars before, but the tough as nails bargain buy could be the horse he has waited for his whole life.

Rarely does a horse take such an impressive winning streak into a Stradbroke, even fewer come out with it intact, but Think About It’s freakish qualities saw him do exactly that, notching up his seventh consecutive victory, which started with a Class 1 in Wyong a year ago.

Pride, combined with jockey Sam Clipperton, were both in awe of their Group 1 star, with the ceiling for the four-year-old still unknown.

“I’ve waited a long time for a horse like this. He’s pretty good,” Pride, who has trains the likes of Eduardo and Private Eye, said.

“I’m a bit lost for words, it was a really special win today. Just to see him draw away from them – he was never going to get beat.”

Coming off a dominant win at set weights in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, Think About It’s $3.50 quote was almost too good to be true for punters, where he dropped to 54kg under handicap conditions.

Starting from barrier eight, Clipperton knew he had the best horse in the race and was happy to cart up three-wide, before putting the writing on the wall at the top of the Eagle Farm straight.

“It is hard to ignore (his winning streak) but I just purely and simply ride the horse on feel and the feel he gives me is like no horse has ever given me and I’m truly grateful of Joe Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds just to ride this amazing horse,” Clipperton said.

After having his heart broken when running second in the race with Private Eye 12 months earlier, Pride was breaking Queensland hearts this time around with iron horse Rothfire refusing to give in during a ding-dong battle up the straight.

Hype horse Hawaii Five Oh had the perfect run in transit with 49.5kg on his back, but was no match for the might of Think About It and Rothfire, eventually finishing third.

Just like Alligator Blood 12 months earlier, Think About It now has the spring at his mercy following his Stradbroke masterpiece.

“He’s just been able to keep climbing. This is the first time I haven’t put him up in grade from one run to the next – and it was Group 1 to Group 1. It was amazing,” Pride said.

Converge was subject to a Stradbroke plunge but it ended up misguided with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained sprinter never in it after settling towards the end of the field before rattling home.

Palaisipan proved to be the surprise packet, with the Chris Munce-trained mare poking through to run fourth at $91, picking up $135,000 for connections.

Think About It surged into the third line of betting for The Everest, with TAB installing him a $8 chance behind Giga Kick ($3.50) and I Wish I Win ($5).