Pride’s stars to lock horns
Trainer’s pair in Smith Cup showdown
It is a case of the old and the new for Joe Pride in Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm as he looks to Think About It to fill some big shoes.
The Sydney-based trainer will saddle up the rising star, and Stradbroke favourite, along with veteran sprinter Eduardo, in what will be a case of the up and comer and the stable stalwart locking horns.
While Pride is reluctant to declare Think About It his next big thing, he is under no illusions as to the task he is setting the four-year-old in what will be his first crack at Group 1 level.
Think About It is a $4 favourite for the 1300m sprint against the likes of Rothfire ($6), A Case Of You ($9) and Paulele ($11), which are proven weight for age performers.
While Pride would love nothing more than to declare the eight-start veteran his next Eduardo, he wants to see him do it on Saturday.
“I don’t underestimate the task I am setting him on Saturday but I have set him a few tasks in the past, and he just keeps meeting them, he is a very exciting horse,” Pride said.
“If this was Eduardo two years ago, I wouldn’t think Think About It would stand a chance, but he is at the twilight of his career.
“I’d like to hope Think About It will be around for plenty of seasons yet doing what he’s doing.
“I am reluctant to put that tag on them, it is a dangerous thing to do, but he is trending the right way.
“Private Eye is out at the moment, so to think this guy could be as good as him or Eduardo, I’d be pretty happy.”
Pride opted to scratch nineyear-old Eduardo from the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 a fortnight ago after drawing wide, electing to barrier trial in Sydney instead.
With seven wins in eight starts, Think About It profiles as the perfect Stradbroke Handicap horse, with his rating of 105 putting him right on the cusp of making the field.
His win in the Listed Takeover Target at Gosford earlier this month was enough for bookmakers to turn him into a $4.50 quote for the Stradbroke.