CAUL SEPT 18 - SO YOU THINK IN A CLASS OF HIS OWN

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Caulfield, September 18, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.04.
Underwood Stakes WFA (Group 1) - 1800m.
Time: 1-49.54. 600m Sectional: 34.32. (Carrying 58kg).
1 So You Think; 2 Dariana; 3 Metal Bender.
Margins: 2.3L x 0.1L.

So You Think continued his dominance of Weight for Age events in Melbourne with a magnificent victory in the feature Group One Underwood Stakes over 1800 metres.

The entire by High Chaparral looks to have the Cox Plate at his mercy after doing plenty wrong in the run, yet having the ability to career away for an easy victory.

So You Think’s dominant victory provided the Cup’s King Bart Cummings with his sixth Underwood Stakes win.

Well served at barrier rise, jockey Steven Arnold let the Cummings trained galloper settle in third position, three lengths off the early leader who was Zavite.

Clearly fighting Arnold for rein and racing ungenerously through the first half of the race, So You Think received a beautiful run in transit behind the three co-leaders Zavite, Metal Bender and Red Ruler, who raced three wide.

Another horse well in the market was last year’s Underwood Stakes victory Heart of Dreams. Ridden by Damien Oliver, the duo were obliged to race directly inside of So You Think from their inside barrier.

The pace of the race was only moderate and the field of eleven Weight for Age gallopers were strung out over some twelve lengths.

Bart Cumming’s other horse in the race was Queensland Derby victor Dariana. Ridden for the first time by Luke Nolen, the mare settled in the second half of the field some eight lengths off the leaders.

Inside the 500 metre mark, Arnold popped So You Think out three and four wide to come with his run around Metal Bender. Dariana received a beautiful suck up into the race on the back of her stablemate.

So You Think cruised up to strike the front at the 300 metres under a throttle hold from Steven Arnold.

Arnold gave the star his head inside the furlong and So You Think quickly sprinted away and put the race beyond doubt. Stablemate Dariana battled on stoutly to claim second ahead of Metal Bender, but the final 200 metres was all So You Think and he scored as he liked.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Racing Manager Duncan Ramage: “Very satisfactory. It was a commanding victory.

“He was able to take a sit, which is good for the future.
“He is a very fit, well and healthy horse and that’s why Bart (Cummings) didn’t want him to go four weeks between the Dato Tan going into the Yalumba. He is spacing him, there is improvement there.

“Look, it’s quite possible he’ll go on to the Melbourne Cup. Let’s get the Cox Plate out of the way first.

“He was a November foal, so he might have had some maturity to go at that stage, but the superstructure and the frame is there…..we see it today. Bart keeps telling me ‘we’ve got to imagine what can be.”

“We obviously don’t have to worry about his throat operation. The only wind problem we’ve got is Glen Boss.”

Jockey Steven Arnold: “He was pretty keen going into the stalls today and a little bit stirred up in the gates. He probably just needed the run into him.

“We were going to sort of lob one, one. We had a little bit of pressure from the outside and I had to hold my spot and it just stirred him up a couple of times. He probably raced a little bit keenly through the mid stages.

“He was nice along the side. Same thing again … he came up under me at the corner and he was never going to get beat from the 400 metres.

“He is an awesome horse.

“He just does a lot to please you. He races well. I just think he needed that a bit today … just to knock the edge off him. He has sort of come on since his run and I think he will be better for that run.

“I wouldn’t put it past him to run two miles. Once he has had those runs under his belt and he drops his head … if he could draw a gate and canter along behind them, you think he would have a pretty good burst of speed.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (So You Think): 1.80 out to 1.95 into 1.75.
The winner was the favourite.

Horse to follow: There was no more impressive racetrack performance around Australia than that of So You Think. After pulling early in the event and throwing his head around the Bart Cummings trained entire produced an explosive turn of foot when asked. Shocking continued to run well this campaign and showed he remains on target to defend his Melbourne Cup crown.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Subsequent to the running of Race 2, Mr B Hayes, representing trainer Mr J O’Shea, notified Stewards that it was the stable’s intention to have Zabrasive (NZ) ridden more quietly today from its wide barrier draw.

An announcement was made to that effect. Zabrasive (NZ) settled second last.

So You Think which was fractious in the barriers then jumped away awkwardly.

Approaching the 1600m, Buccellati (GB) was checked after attempting a run on the fence and to the inside of Largo Lad where there was insufficient room.

Near the 1300m So You Think, which was pulling hard had to be checked off the heels of Metal Bender, shifted in and tightened the running of Heart Of Dreams.

For a short distance after this So You Think and Red Ruler came together on more than one occasion and as a result Red Ruler was obliged to race three wide.

So You Think (NZ) over-raced in the early and middle stages.

Red Ruler (NZ) raced wide without cover before taking up a position outside of the leader, Zavite (NZ), near the 800m.

Shocking was held up rounding the home turn and in the early part of the straight before gaining clear running near the 100m.

C Newitt (Zabrasive) explained that his mount was left flat footed when the pace quickened and would be better suited when stepped up in distance.

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