News

Think About It no more - he's an Everest champion!

14th Oct 2023

Superstar galloper Think About It (So You Think) – the $70,000 Premier yearling who has now won $11m in prizemoney - conquered Australian racing’s greatest summit today when winning The Everest at Randwick.

Owned and raced by Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds and a large group of ecstatic connections, Think About It’s story is most extraordinary.

A 5YO gelding, Think About It is an exceptionally lightly raced galloper yet his record is most remarkable.

Following today’s win in the richest race on turf in the world, he has won 11 of his 12 starts.

The only time in his career he hasn’t won he finished third.

It was only eight months ago Think About It was winning a BM88 at Randwick on Inglis Millennium Day.

Now he is arguably one of the best sprinters on the planet and an Everest hero.

Since that time he has added the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup and G1 Stradbroke Handicap - as well as three other Stakes races - to his name and now a $20m Everest. 

Walter was proud post-race, soaking up the moment with his son Tom and plenty of happy owners.

“What a horse. He just doesn’t know how to lose and that’s a pretty good quality for a racehorse,’’ Walter said.

“We only paid $70,000 for him at the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne. I must thank Jim Carey from Newgate Farm because if it wasn’t for Jim I wouldn’t have bought him.

“What’s he won now? In the vicinity of $10m or something. It’s just insane, positively insane. He’s a great horse.’’

Bred by Greg and Donna Kolivos’ Lightning Thoroughbreds, Think About It was foaled and raised at Newgate Farm.

He was offered in Newgate’s draft at the 2020 Premier Yearling Sale and today he raced in the Newgate slot in The Everest.

Newgate’s Henry Field was ecstatic with the result but also the journey to today.

“He’s an amazing athlete with an amazing heart and that’s a rare combination. He’s a phenomenal horse,’’ Field said.

“Jamie [Walter] had the foresight to put his money down and buy him and that in itself was an extraordinary slice of judgment.

“I’m just so happy to see, for Australian racing, a syndicated horse give so much joy to so many people. This is what this game is all about. This race is the best, the best of the best.’’

For trainer Joe Pride – who also had the third placegetter in Private Eye, also with Proven Thoroughbreds – today’s result was a lifetime achievement.

“It’s a culmination of a lot of hard work. It was funny during the week some of the media was saying I’m an overnight success story, well I can tell you it’s taken me since I was 20 which is 31 years so I’m not sure that’s an overnight success,’’ Pride said.

“He’s a horse that didn’t cost a lot of money Think About It and that’s an achievement in itself.

“He’s so tenacious. There’s not much about him physically that makes you think he’s better than the rest, he’s just got a great motor and a mind to match.

“He’s only had 12 starts, he’s so lightly raced. It’ll take a little time to sink in.’’

Think About It defeated I Wish I Win today, who competed in the Trackside NZ slot which was purchased off Inglis for this year only.

Third placegetter Private Eye also enjoys an Inglis connection, with Nick Dimitrakis buying a 5% share in the galloper on Inglis Digital for $60,000 last year.

Since then Private Eye has won $6.9m.

Think About It’s victory today kept a strong tradition going of Inglis graduates winning The Everest – in just seven editions of the race, Inglis grads have now won five with Redzel (2017 and 2018), Classique Legend (2020), Nature Strip (2021) and now Think About It.