Hardly a week has gone past during the autumn carnival that we haven’t seen a stakes-winner by So You Think and he kept up the good work at Rosehill on Saturday when progressive mare Nimalee overpowered a gallant Greysful Glamour to win the Group II ATC Emancipation Stakes (1500m).
Trained by Matthew Smith, Nimalee was given a perfect ride by Rachel King, trailing the leaders from an inside gate before surging home to win by three-quarters of a length.
The win was a source of great satisfaction for connections as Nimalee has had an interrupted program due to a stone bruise and was having her first start since winning at Rosehill on February 20.
"It's been a long term plan to get her into some of these better races over the carnival,” said Matthew Smith.
“We had a bit of a setback so it's been a big effort by the team to get this mare back into form and right today, six weeks in between runs.
“I think it was a pretty big effort so I've got to be very proud of the team at home. She's done very well."
A $270,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Randwick Bloodstock from the Millford Thoroughbreds draft, Nimalee runs for Letmar Investments and has the impressive record of six wins and four placings from 12 starts with prizemoney in excess of $350,000.
Bred by Cressfield, she is a three-quarter sister to Group III placed The Chairman from Dezign, an unraced half-sister by Zabeel to Group II winner Star Fashion from Group II winner and Hong Kong Derby winner Elegant Fashion.
Dezign has a yearling colt by So You Think and is now in foal to The Autumn Sun after losing a foal by him in 2020.
Cressfield have an exceptional draft of nine Inglis Easter Yearlings – click here to see them.
Nimalee is the 33rd stakes-winner for Coolmore champion So You Think, who is enjoying his best ever season with nine stakes-winners since August 1 highlighted by his new Group I winner Think It Over.
