Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s three-year old colt Thinkin’ Big made it three wins from four at Rosehill on Saturday, claiming a comfortable victory in the $200,000 Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m).
The colt out of Irish champion High Chaparral firmed into $5.00 with Ladbrokes in the small five horse field, and went on to win by three-lengths after leading from barrier to box over the journey.
Thinkin’ Big, above, salutes at Rosehill in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.
It was a near identical run to Thinkin’ Big’s last-up win on the same track earlier in July. He’s a horse that is comfortable up on the speed, blessed with a dazzling turn of foot down the straight to kick away and win comfortably.
The win left jockey Tim Clark feeling optimistic about what the Spring might hold.
“Can only go upwards from here, so obviously the Spring Champion looks a good race for him in a couple of weeks time” Clark said.
Having now won first-up for the second time in his young career, the $500,000 Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 6 figures to be the ideal landing spot.
As far as history goes, Thinkin’ Big will now hope to repeat Ace High’s Gloaming/Spring Champion double-success from a year ago.
A number of champions have come through the Gloaming, including multiple Group 1 winners So You Think (2009) and It’s a Dundeel (2012).
It’s still too early to say whether or not Thinkin’ Big will achieve such success, but he’s already firmed into the early $3.50 favourite for the Spring Champion ahead of Dealmaker ($7), Tarka ($8) and The Autumn Sun ($7) with Ladbrokes.
Trainer Adrian Bott further confirmed the plan ahead for the promising colt.
“He’ll back up in two weeks time, go to the Spring champ, then we’ll go down to the Derby in Victoria” Bott said after the win.
With Clark on board for the first time, the duo looked in firm control for the entirety on Saturday, an encouraging sign if Thinkin’ Big is indeed destined for the $2 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) on November 3.
“There was a little bit of pressure in the race,” Bott said.
“A bit more than we expected, and it was good to see when he was asked he just went straight back underneath and relaxed.
“He got some beautiful sectionals there mid-race, he got a lovely rhythm and he showed a beautiful turn of foot when asked.”
Full Spring Champion odds can be seen below.
