CAUL AUG 28 - SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR SO YOU THINK

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 29, 2010

Caulfield, August 28, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - out 10.0m. Penetrometer 5.88.
Memsie Stakes (Group Two - 3YO+ WFA) - 1400m.
Time: 1-26.68. (Carrying 58.5kg).
1 So You Think; 2 Whobegotyou; 3 Shoot Out.

Master trainer Bart Cummings produced So You Think to score a stirring victory in the Group Two Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.

So You Think resumed after a 42 week absence after failing to impress the Cups King in his autumn campaign. So You Think was operated on to rectify a throat problem earlier in the year and he returned to the track and sounded an ominous warning to his Spring Carnival challengers.

So You Think, who was piloted by Steven Arnold, showed he was on track to win back-to-back Cox Plates with an impressive first up victory over a field that contained numerous other Spring Carnival hopefuls.

As the runners loaded into the gates for the running of the 112th Memsie Stakes, Red Ruler was declared a late scratching by order of the stewards acting on the veterinarian surgeon’s advice, after he lashed out and kicked the back of the starting stalls.

As the starter caught the line, the field of spring stars bounded into stride as one with the exception of Sirmione who missed the start a length or so. Typhoon Tracy was well into her gait and Luke Nolen had no hesitation in sending the mare to the front and she got there under her own steam.

Following the mare across the face of the field from his awkward barrier, was the Cummings’ trained entire So You Think. Jockey Steven Arnold was able to get the magnificent looking stallion to relax beautifully at the hind quarters of Typhoon Tracy as the field negotiated the first turn.

Racing in third position on the fence was the enigmatic galloper Whobegotyou and on his immediate outside was the Rosehill Guineas winner, Zabrasive. Caught three deep was Gold Coast Galloper Shoot Out who was partnered by regular rider Stathi Katsidis. The fact that Whobegotyou and Zabrasive had settled within four lengths of the leader Typhoon Tracy, indicated a very moderate tempo.

The moderate tempo, set by Typhoon Tracy saw the field cover twelve lengths with the Bart Cummings trained runners Moatize, Brightnight, Faint Perfume and Sirmione racing in the last two pairs as the field raced down the side and beyond the 1000 metre pole.

Typhoon Tracy was being well rated in front by Nolen, holding a one length margin over So You Think, who looked to be travelling well within himself under jockey Steven Arnold. Arnold was content to stalk the mare everywhere she went and wait for the home straight to bring the four year old son of High Chaparral with his run.

Racing past the 700 metre mark the field bunched up considerably and now only eight lengths covered the field top to tail.

Sydney galloper Zabrasive had eased around So You Think’s heels to race three deep and this in turn pushed Shoot Out four deep on the track. Whobegotyou, for Michael Rodd continued to track the fence, three lengths off Typhoon Tracy.

As the field raced towards the home turn jockey Craig Newitt aboard Zabrasive brought his mount up closer to the speed and closed within a half-length of Typhoon Tracy and pushing up between runners was So You Think. Whobegotyou had worked off the fence to track up behind So You Think and race just inside of Shoot Out.

Typhoon Tracy and Luke Nolen steered a deliberate course about four horses off the fence rounding the home turn. Michael Rodd on Whobegotyou was able to receive a beautiful suck into the race on the back of So You Think and Rodd was able to push out under the neck of Zabrasive as the field swung for home.

Shoot Out, who had covered plenty of territory in the early parts of the race, was content to track Zabrasive around the home turn and Katsidis found himself spotting the leader Typhoon Tracy three lengths start as the field balanced up in the early part of the straight.

Typhoon Tracy racing four horses off the fence held a half-length margin over So You Think and a further half-length back to Whobegotyou. Nolen was starting to urge Typhoon Tracy along under hands and heels riding, while Steven Arnold aboard So You Think was content to cuddle his mount. Whobegotyou was starting to be slapped up by Michael Rodd but looked to have plenty to offer over the concluding stages.

With the moderate tempo, Shoot Out did not possess the same turn of foot as the gallopers in front of him and was under hard riding by jockey Katsidis and was now spotting Typhoon Tracy four lengths start.

Inside the 200 metres, So You Think was able to wrestle the lead away from Typhoon Tracy and on his outside was Whobegotyou, who was chiming in with bounding strides. So You Think held a neck advantage over Whobegotyou, with a length back to the tiring Typhoon Tracy nearest to the fence.

A further two lengths astern saw Shoot Out ducking in behind the leading pair, but he was starting to really hit his straps and come with his run.

Inside the one hundred metre mark, So You Think had dug in for the fight under strong whip riding from Steven Arnold. Whobegotyou could not raise another effort and the Bart Cummings’ trained entire extended the margin to a half-length on the line over Whobegotyou.

Shoot Out was able to rocket to the line over the concluding stages to take ground off the winner. Early pacemaker Typhoon Tracy, who was headed at the 200 metre mark, was able to battle on stoutly and went to the line in fourth position.

But it was a winning return for the 2009 Cox Plate champion So You Think, and under a masterful ride by Steven Arnold held a half-length margin at the finish over Whobegotyou, with a further length back to Shoot Out in third position.

In a race that will shape the Spring Carnival, plenty of merit can be taken from the runs of the first six horses over the line. Shoot Out’s best work was done over the concluding one hundred metres, but it must be noted that the winner So You Think nearly blew the punters out of the stand on return to scale. He will derive tremendous benefit from his first run in 42 weeks as he looks to defend his Cox Plate title.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bart Cummings: “He started very good. I think he had to be on the pace today because they weren’t coming from behind. He did a good job.

“It turned out good. You don’t know until you trial them and the result was very good.

“He is a big stronger horse now and he has got a great future.

"You can't keep a good horse down. I've had a few good horses and he's up there with the best of them.

"It was a big effort. He had to be further forward than anticipated because of the heavy track and the backmarkers had no hope.

"He won the Cox Plate the way he was, so he can only get better and better.

"He'll probably go to the Dato Tan Chin Nam and the Yalumba and then the Cox Plate."

Jockey Steven Arnold: “He’s really impressed me today. He travelled unbelievably in the run and coming to the corner, when something just come off his back, he just gave me a great feel.

"I don’t think he was one hundred percent comfortable in the ground either, but his other attribute is that he is a fighter as well … a furlong in and he was in for the fight and he held them on the line.

“The sky’s the limit for him. He has already won a Cox Plate as a three year old. Obviously we know he’s a good horse, he just give me an unbelievable feel today.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (So You Think): 7.00 in to 6.50.
Favourite (Shoot Out): 3.00. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Due to an oversight by the Float Company, Zabrasive (NZ) was not on course by the prescribed time. In all the circumstances no direct action was taken against the connections.

Red Ruler (NZ) was a late scratching at 3.35pm when it kicked out at the back of the gates and was subsequently deemed unfit to start by the Club’s veterinary surgeon.

Sirmione was slow to begin.

A short distance after the start Faint Perfume was steadied to avoid the heels of Valdemoro which shifted in.

Passing the 1000m Shoot Out and Zabrasive (NZ) bumped on several occasions. Shoot Out raced wide without cover.

So You Think (NZ) lost its near-hind plate during the running of the race.

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