 |
|
| Sumita Pawar |
 |
Joe Pride is confident that Think About It is on a steady upward trajectory, showing significant progress with each race. He anticipates that the talented horse will reach his full potential and deliver a top-notch performance in the highly anticipated A$3 million Stradbroke Handicap.
With a bold statement, Joe Pride has caused a ripple of fear amongst Stradbroke Handicap competitors, as he confidently claims that his beloved horse, Think About It, has been making strides of improvement, amounting to "two or three lengths" in every race.
With seven consecutive victories under his belt, Think About It is set to blaze the track at Eagle Farm in the A$3 million Group one sprint on Saturday, and Pride is confident that his exhilarating runner will deliver his finest performance yet.
Expectations High For Upcoming Race
“Basically, every run of his life he has improved by two or three lengths,” Pride said.
“If he has improved another two or three lengths you would think, although there are never any foregone conclusions, that he is undoubtedly the horse to beat.
“He will certainly improve from his win in the Gr.1 Kingsford Smith Cup.
“He was three weeks between runs going into the Kingsford Smith, so I was always leaving a little bit of something under the hood (for the Stradbroke).
“The Stradbroke is his third run back from a break and I would think this would be his peak run.”
Think About It and Pride: A Winning Combination
Think About It has shown his winning spirit, with only one loss in nine career runs, proving his prowess beyond doubt. Meanwhile, Pride boasts of his versatility.
An added bonus is that with 54kg on his back in the Stradbroke, Pride feels he may have “beaten the handicapper”.”
“I initially thought he was a bit harshly weighted initially to have 54 (kg) when he had only won a Listed race and a Group thre,” Pride said.
“But now he has won a Group 1 as well, I feel like he now really has beaten the handicapper.
“He’s not a horse that I feel like he’s got a particular strength at the moment, whether that be on pace or coming from behind.
Turning Pride Into The Ultimate Professional
“It would be good to make him the ultimate professional and have him be a horse that races just off the speed and finishes off.
“With some horses you don’t have a choice, they have a pattern and you just have to go with that.
“But with this horse, I feel like I can turn him into something.”
Pride is fueled by a burning desire for vengeance as he sets his sights on conquering his first Stradbroke Handicap, determined to avenge the heartbreak of last year's defeat with Private Eye, who was cruelly denied victory by the awe-inspiring Alligator Blood.
“I think we probably should have won last year,” Pride said.
“Alligator Blood beat us and I have the greatest respect for him, but I have watched the replay enough times and I just think Brenton Avdulla just missed the run when he needed it.
“That was the difference between winning and losing.
“You just want to win these iconic races, the Stradbroke is an amazing race.”