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By Ray Hickson

Think It Over doesn't need any help from above to be a main player at Randwick on Saturday but after the sudden death of his trackwork rider Deanne Pinney earlier this week, trainer Kerry Parker knows she'll be riding with the stable star as he chases a second Group 1 win.

The Kembla Grange racing community has been in shock since the devastating news came through that Pinney, a highly respected horsewoman in the area for over 30 years, passed away in her sleep on Monday.

Nothing can replace or bring Pinney back but Parker said a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) would rightly be dedicated to a woman who has been integral to Think It Over's rise to the top level.

And a big part of his life as the mother of his two children from their past relationship.

Deanne Pinney (left) on Think It Over at trackwork. (Pic: Robert Peet/Illawarra Mercury)

“Since I’ve had Think It Over she rode him work every day and she no doubt made him what he is,’’ Parker said.

“When I got him he was very raw and a handful to say the least, she helped make him into the pony he is today.

“She rode him on Saturday morning as she normally does, she just didn’t turn up to work on Monday morning. And she doesn’t miss a day so we knew something was wrong.

“It’d be pretty emotional if he could win for her that’s for sure.”

Pinney, 49, was not only the secret weapon that turned Think It Over into a star, she’s been a presence in the Kembla Grange area since she was a teenager and is no stranger to putting a Group 1 performer through their paces having worked topliners like Universal Prince, Victory Vein and Half Hennessy for the late Bede Murray.

Parker said Think It Over, $9 with TAB on Wednesday, had pleased Pinney since he won a barrier trial on his home track last week and believes a fairytale win is realistic despite the Winx Stakes being a stern first-up test.

“There’s nowhere to hide now, that’s where we’ve got to go,’’ he said.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of the horse hoping he would get to Group 1, that’s all you ever do when you’ve got a good horse.

“Now he’s got one on the mantelpiece and he’s straight in the deep end.

“I was really happy with his trial, he did everything perfect, hit the line full of running and has bounced off it.

“It wouldn’t surprise me and I’m hoping he is in the finish. He’s done everything good and is going into the race well, he’s got good fresh form and I’d expect he will turn up and race well.”

Brenton Avdulla takes the reins on Think It Over, as he did when running a gallant fourth behind Addeybb in the Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in April.

He opened his autumn campaign with a Group 3 win in the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and claimed the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) third-up.

Parker said the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on September 4 will be something of a fork in the road for Think It Over’s spring campaign and his performances in that race and this Saturday will form the way forward.

Uncertainty around travel during the Covid-19 outbreak could keep the six-year-old in Sydney for a few more starts though Parker is keen to send him to Melbourne at some point.

“There are so many options with a horse like him. We’ll nominate for the Epsom, after he’s had his first couple of runs we can adjust the plan as we need to,’’ he said.

“He might be running fifth and sixth against this crew and if that’s the case we could aim at something else.”

Think It Over wins a trial at Kembla on August 11

After breaking a run of outs that stretched back to April last year with a strong first-up win, stablemate Tampering takes his place in the $100,000 Midway Handicap (1600m) and Parker is upbeat about his chances.

The gelding has placed at Benchmark 72 level on the Kensington in the past and his win over 1400m fresh encouraged Parker to tackle the Midway on a track that he will enjoy.

“He won well first-up although it was a special condition race and the race was run really well for him,’’ Parker said.

“We’ll have a look at how the race maps and go from there.

“He’s come through that win well and we’ll look forward to going to Randwick over the mile. A nice big track suits, the same as Kembla, where he can get into a nice rhythm because he’s not a stop-start sort of horse.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting