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By Ray Hickson

Exciting sprinter Think About It has stamped his amazing rise by being snapped up for October’s TAB Everest at Royal Randwick and trainer Joe Pride believes it’s a shrewd choice by new slot holder Newgate.

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Henry Field, managing director of Newgate, announced on Friday a deal had been done to gain a majority share in Greg Ingham's GPI Racing slot and moved quickly to place Pride’s winning machine in that slot.

The four-year-old has won eight of his nine starts, including the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) last month, and is favourite to add the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) to his CV next week before Pride sets him for the Everest.

“I think he’s a pretty smart choice from Newgate because he loves high pressure and it’d be hard to imagine him not running home into the placings,’’ Pride said.

“He’s such a strong horse at the finish of his races and that’s what you need for an Everest.

“I’ve never had a horse go through the grades this quick, he’s only had the nine starts. Yeah, wow, I always thought he’d be a good horse but I didn’t expect him to get there this quickly.”

Think About It only made his debut at the end of July last year, winning a Kembla Grange maiden, and won his first city race in January. His winning streak currently stands at six after his Group 1 win.

Field said discussion with Newgate co-owners Gavin Murphy and Matthew Sandblom led him to lock in Think About It, who does have a link to the breeding powerhouse.

“He was a horse bred by the Kolivos family and born and raised on the hills of Newgate Farm so he is a very meaningful horse for us to have secured,’’ he said.

“I’ve had a long relationship with Jamie Walter, who I have the utmost respect for, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have the Newgate and Proven Thoroughbreds brands aligned.”

Proven Thoroughbreds syndicated last year’s Everest runner-up Private Eye and Walter said he can only hope Think About It goes one better later this year.

“For a $70,000 yearling, Think About It is giving us all a tremendous ride and good karma being involved with Newgate’s Henry Field and Greg and Barb Ingham both of whom we’ve known for many years,’’ he said.

Pride said Think About It will only need one run into the TAB Everest (1200m), on October 14, likely the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) two weeks earlier.

Think About It is on the $15 line with TAB in Everest betting, alongside Private Eye and Pride is more than hopeful the latter can secure his own place in the race when he returns from a break in around two weeks.

Think About It wins the Kingsford Smith Cup

“I’m pretty bullish about him, he’s such a good horse and we’ll get him there,’’ Pride said of Private Eye.

“If he comes up the way I think he will then he will be in the race as well. It’s fantastic for Proven to potentially have two horses in the race. For a syndicator it’s pretty amazing and they weren’t expensive horses.”

Three horses have now been locked away for the 2023 TAB Everest – Think About It joins defending champion Giga Kick (James Harron Bloodstock) and last year’s third placegetter Mazu (The Star & Arrowfield).

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