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Joe Pride's Warwick Farm stables achieved an impressive first and third place in the A$20m TAB Everest race at Randwick on Saturday. Sam Clipperton rode Think About It to victory, while Nash Rawiller steered Private Eye to a third-place finish. They were separated by I Wish I Win from the Moody and Coleman stable, ridden by Luke Nolen, who took second place.
Ridden by jockey Clipperton, Think About It delivered a perfect race from barrier five, staying no further back than fourth place. Overpass and Josh Parr led the field, with Alcohol Free and Craig Williams coming up on the outside. Crossing the 300m, Overpass still held the lead, with Cylinder and apprentice Zac Lloyd challenging and Think About It right outside these two.
Clipperton had clear running room, which proved crucial, allowing him and Think About It to take the lead by the 200m mark. I Wish I Win and Nolen had to momentarily find space, while Private Eye and Rawiller were tracking the stablemate in the lead. Cylinder with Lloyd on the rails was feeling the early pace at the top of the straight, but hanging on well. In Secret and Zac Purton were coming fast from a rear position at the 300m, but they were not able to catch Think About It, who won with a long neck margin at the line.
The Good 3 track saw a final time of 1.07.64 and the final 600m in 33.13. Private Eye and Rawiller came in third, with In Secret fourth and Cylinder fifth, 1 1/4L from the winner.
“That is unbelievable. They both (Private Eye - 3rd) ran terrific. I was pretty confident coming into the race that not only my two would run well but Peter Moody’s was the only danger. It does not really matter at the end, but I thought they were the three and sure enough they fought it out,” said Pride
“It is going to be a really interesting journey with him, where we go from here. It was an incredible performance to stay at 1200m because after he won the Stradbroke if it wasn’t for The Everest being what it is I never would have aimed him at this race. A 1200m race that is, but I am glad I did.
“I just love training for Jamie (Walter of Proven Thoroughbreds) because he’s so easy to deal with, he takes all the pressure off me. He leaves me alone for the team and I to do my job and we buy horses various budgets. These were a couple of the cheaper ones but we buy more expensive ones as well. He does so much work and so grateful for his support.”
“I had such a nice run in the race and travelled so well. This stuff doesn’t happen, it just went too perfect. I guess that is what very good horses do, maybe even champions, they eliminate the opposition,” said Clipperton.
“I am just so privileged to be in a position of riding this horse. I had my apprenticeship here at Randwick with Ron Quinton and I know every blade of grass at this joint. If you had have told me when I started that I was going to win an Everest well A, The Everest didn’t exist and now it’s exploded into one of the most incredible races in the world and I am just incredibly proud.
“I can’t believe it. I was visualising this since he won The Premiere, I just thought he has got too many gears they will not beat him. I couldn’t say that out loud but that’s what it felt and he has just proven me right,” he said.
Think About It is a successful racehorse with an impressive record. The 5YO gelding, sired by So You Think and out of the mare Tiare, has won 11 of his 12 starts, with his only loss being a third-place finish in his third start over 1200m at Warwick Farm in August 2022. He has since gone on to win the prestigious Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in May and June, respectively. Recently, Think About It won The Everest, taking his owners to the pinnacle of success.
The horse is owned by a syndicate consisting of Proven Thoroughbreds, Mr R J Miller, Newfan Pty Ltd, Mr A J Halloran, Barraband Racing & Breeding, Mr S Maindonald, Mrs L Siltala, Mr K E McCaffrey, Mr T P Heesh, Mr J H G Finney, Mr D J Wilson, Mr W D Reeks, Mr S Vaughan, Mr M R Whiteman, Mr G Hele, Mr P M Brown, Mr S A Wilson, Dinner Till We Die, Think So Racing and Mr M J Miller, and has earned stakes of A$10,979,175 for the group.