‘Wrecking ball’ heads to Stradbroke
Think About It tightened his grip on Stradbroke Handicap favouritism as jockey Sam Clipperton warned a “wrecking ball” was about to be unleashed on the $3m race following the Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The gelding will go into the Stradbroke Handicap carrying one of the hottest winning streaks of all time, after ticking off his maiden Group 1 in only his 10th start.
Trainer Joe Pride was left near speechless as his prodigious talent continued on his winning ways, where he will drop to 54kg in the Stradbroke next month on the back of six straight wins.
Runner-up Converge put in a perfect Stradbroke trial in second, where Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will look to turn the tables on the Kingsford Smith Cup winner in a fortnight's time.
It marked Clipperton’s first Group 1 since winning the Doomben 10,000 last year aboard Mazu, and he will have a golden opportunity to add to that list in the Stradbroke, where he will again take the ride on Think About It.
“He is the sort of horse who we all aspire to and get out of bed for,” he said.
“I am a bit speechless because he could potentially do wonders for my career, and I have just won a Group 1 on him so he has already done wonders for my career.
“He has so much untapped ability. He is just a big wrecking ball who is ready to let the shackles off.
“He drops five kilos, it’s not often Group 1 weight-for-age races are used as a progression to a handicap, but he has just ticked off a big Group 1 race with plenty of old hard-head horses in that field.”
Think About It announced himself as the new kid on the block, while stable stalwart Eduardo was well beaten.
Meantime, James McDonald described it as “poetry in motion” as new superstar Kovalica romped home in the Queensland Derby.
The $1.70 favourite trained by Chris Waller won by almost two lengths from Fame.
McDonald said the win felt as easy as some of the great Verry Elleegant’s Group 1 wins. “It was poetry in motion,” he said.