Think It Over for champ
Think It Over, the racehorse with the giant-killer reputation, has run his last race.
Trainer Kerry Parker advised Racing NSW stewards on Thursday morning that following a veterinary assessment of Think It Over, the decision has been made to retire the eight-year-old gelding.
Jockey Nash Rawiller raised concerns about Think It Over’s action after he ran fourth behind Via Sistina in the Ranvet Stakes last Saturday.
“There is nothing dramatically wrong with Think It Over and if he was a five or six-year-old, you would spell him for a couple of months and try again,’’ Parker said.
“But Nash hit the nail on the head last Saturday when he said the horse didn’t stretch out completely. After talking it over with his owner, Richard Johnston, we decided to retire Think It Over. He owes us nothing and we want to look after him.’’
Think It Over won 14 of his 42 starts including three Group 1 races, and earned $8,496,070 to be 19th on the all-time list of leading prizemoney earners, just one place behind his sire, So You Think, on $8,813,497. Parker said it has been “some ride” with Think It Over since the gelding won a Goulburn maiden win five years ago.
Think It Over competed with and defeated the best racehorses of his generation including his spectacular 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes win when Rawiller steered the gelding towards the outside rail before he ran down Zaaki near the line.
Among Think It Over’s unplaced rivals that day were two Horse of the Year winners Verry Elleegant and
Anamoe, plus multiple Group 1 winners I’m Thunderstruck, Montefilia and Duais. “It’s a sad day that he won’t race again but I’d prefer to celebrate his career. The journey with this horse is something I will never forget,” Parker said.