Second G1 for Sensational So You Think

Latest News

Second G1 for Sensational So You Think

New Zealand has delivered up the latest superstar of the Australian turf with Karaka graduate So You Think stealing the show at Caulfield and highlighting a stellar weekend for the Kiwis across the Tasman.

He also spearheaded an outstanding weekend for his young sire, High Chaparral, with his offspring producing four wins to bring his tally of stakes winners to 21 and shine a spotlight on his 45 yearlings nominated for the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka in January.

The striking four-year-old So You Think more than justified his Cox Plate favouritism with a commanding win in the Group 1 A$350,000 MRC Rock Ebony Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.

First from the gates, jockey Steven Arnold held So You Think just off the leading group before allowing him more rein as the field fanned into the home straight. From there the race was his, quickening immediately and pulling away from the field at the 200 metre mark to secure a dominant two-and-a-quarter length win over stable mate Dariana (Redoute's Choice x Beldarian).

Trained by Bart Cummings, this was So You Think's second start since November with the colt also claiming the New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at his last outing three weeks ago. This win brings So You Think's record to an impressive five wins and two placings from eight career starts with last year's Cox Plate hero now looking on track to re-claim his title in October.

A $110,000 purchase by DGR Thoroughbreds from Windsor Park Stud at the 2008 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, So You Think is raced by long time Cummings client and friend Dato Tan Chin Nam in partnership with Tunku Ahmad Yahaya.

Bred in partnership by Mike Moran and Cecile Smith, So You Think is the seventh living foal of Group 2 winner Triassic and has now accumulated $2,534,050 in stakes earnings.

Securing High Chaparral's second stakes win of the weekend was Descarado (ex Karamea Lady) who led throughout the Group 2 A$175,000 STC Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill to claim his first black type victory on Saturday.

Placed second in the Group 1 A$1,300,000 Australian Derby (2400m) in April, behind another top performing High Chaparral son and 2009-10 Queensland Horse of the Year Shoot Out (ex Pentamerous), Descarado is now heading to Melbourne on a Cups campaign.

The weekend's wins didn't stop there for High Chaparral with another of his sons, up and coming three-year-old Mackadoo, winning the open three-year-old event over 1700 metres at Caulfield on Saturday. Trained in New Zealand by Murray & Bjorn Baker, Mackadoo has stamped himself as one to watch after claiming his second win in just four career starts.

Out of Staring, who was trained by Murray Baker to win the New Zealand Oaks and New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, Mackadoo is on track to target black type of his own in the Group 1 VRC Victoria Derby on October 30.

High Chaparral's fourth winner of the weekend was at Sha Tin when his Hong Kong based son Let Me Handle It (ex Barija) won the HKJC Lung Shan Handicap (1600m) on Saturday.

This was the promising Karaka graduate's second win in five starts bringing his career earnings to $184,706. Offered by Lyndhurst Farm, Let Me Handle It was purchased for $160,000 by Michael Stedman Bloodstock at the 2008 Premier Sale.

There were two other successful New Zealand stakeswinners in Australia at the weekend, with Rainbow Styling in Melbourne and Firebolt in Sydney.

Six-year-old son of Zabeel Rainbow Styling beat a competitive field to win the D'Urban Naturalism Stakes (2000m) for Michael Hawkes and owners Nick Moraitis and the Macquarie Stud Syndicate. Albeit now exempt from the ballot for the Caulfield Cup, Michael Hawkes confirmed that Rainbow Styling was unlikely to contest the Cups events.

Capping off the day at Rosehill was Stravinsky son Firebolt's brilliant win in the Group 2 A$175,000 JRA Shannon Stakes (1500m)for Kiwi trainer Roger James and the Ski Syndicate. Roger James' decision to skip the premier meeting in Hawke's Bay to bring the colt to Sydney well and truly paid off with the five-year-old in top shape for the major Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick in under a fortnight.

Firebolt was the second stakeswinner in just three days for Cambridge Stud's former shuttler, Stravinsky, with $120,000 Karaka graduate Stratofortress a winner in the G3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) on Thursday last week.

ENDS

© Scoop Media