One to Watch – Benalla

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday February 20

There aren’t many grey horses by So You Think, but we saw one win on debut at Benalla on Tuesday and the horse he beat is a half-brother to boom filly Learning to Fly.

Do Think So wins on debut at Benalla - image Jay Town / Racing Photos

Trained by Robbie Griffiths and Matthew De Kock, Do You Think So is a big strapping three year-old gelding by So You Think that has taken time to mature, but ability is obviously not lacking as he was sent out a well backed favourite for the 1600m maiden.

He hit the line strongly for Jamie Mott to surge clear and win by a length and a half over Royal Pharoah, the four year-old half-brother by American Pharoah (USA) to Learning to Fly.

Jamie Mott was well pleased with the effort of Do You Think So.

“He was really professional, paraded well and went to the gates good,” he said.

“The plan was to travel midfield with cover, but he began great and I saw an opportunity to get outside the leader and once we got there he didn’t really known how to travel on the tempo.

Advertisement

“Coming to the corner he came off the bridle and I thought we were in a little bit of trouble, but to his credit he just didn’t know what I was asking and then he dug in and wanted to fight and ended up winning really well.”

Do You Think So was a $120,000 Inglis Easter purchase.

Do You Think So was a modest $120,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Coolmore for MDK International / Vermaak Equine and is the second winner from Greta G (USA) an Argentinian Group I winner by the Danzig stallion Exchange Rate from a family that bristles with Group I winners.

Greta G was on-sold through an Inglis Digital Online Sale last year for just $7,000 to Michael Hickmott Bloodstock and produced a colt by Churchill (IRE) last spring for her new owners before going to Hitotsu.

For the record if you are wondering about grey progeny of So You Think, go no further than his Group I winning son D'Argento, now a promising young sire for Bowness Stud. 

Advertisment

Race Result - Burtons IGA Mdn Plate 1606m

Benalla Track: Good(3) Time: 1:36.69
1
Do You Think So
- 3g So You Think (NZ) x Greta G (ARG) (Exchange Rate (USA))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: J Mott 59
2
1.5
Royal Pharoah
- 4g American Pharoah (USA) x Ennis Hill (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: D J McCarthy Rdr: Tahlia Hope 59.5
3
1.7
Night Action
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Yu Long Bao Ma (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: L Kennewell & L Yeomans Rdr: Zac Spain 59
4
1.8
Kuroshinzo
- 4g Mikki Isle (JPN) x Close To My Heart (IRE) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Luke Oliver Rdr: W Egan 59.5
5
2.2
The Hindustan
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x My Country (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Declan Bates 59
6
2.4
Gaelic Thunder
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Irish Rose (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: A W Noonan Rdr: J Noonan 59.5
7
4.2
Dusty's Reward
- 5g Reset (AUS) x Obscurity (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Ms E Haworth Rdr: A Lynch 59.5
8
4.9
Golden Lotus
- 3f Palentino (AUS) x Pan Jinlian (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Ms W Kelly Rdr: Teodore Nugent 57
9
5.7
Son Of A Boom
- 3g Boom Time (AUS) x Laurenstar (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Ben Brisbourne Rdr: Lachlan King 59
10
6.9
Sugarloaf
- 3g Casino Prince (AUS) x Pineapple (AUS) (Starcraft (NZ))
Tnr: Craig Weeding Rdr: Logan McNeil 59
11
7.3
Ariarne
- 4m Cable Bay (IRE) x Versos De Amor (AUS) (Lope De Vega (IRE))
Tnr: N J Dyer Rdr: Neil Farley 57.5
12
12.3
Fuji
- 3g Shooting To Win (AUS) x Lady Montoya (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Craig Weeding Rdr: J Duffy 59
13
16.6
Thrill Ofthe Fight
- 5g Street Boss (USA) x Eye Of The Tiger (AUS) (Hold That Tiger (USA))
Tnr: Nathan Newton Rdr: C J Parish 59.5
More Reading...
$700,000 Home Affairs Filly for Dance Music
The second crop of yearlings by Home Affairs were always going to be in demand at Magic Millions off the back of his encouraging early winners and he made a splash on Tuesday during the first session with a filly from Dance Music fetching $700,000.
$2Million Frankel Colt Highlights a Solid Start for MM 2026
A colt by champion international sire Frankel topped Day One of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Tuesday when selling for $2 million
$1,050,000 I Am Invincible Filly for Avantage
Nine time Group I winning Fastnet Rock mare Avantage was a champion on the racetrack and her progeny are proving highly desirable in the sale ring with her third foal, a lovely filly by I Am Invincible, selling for $1,050,000 at Magic Millions on Tuesday.
$1.2million Extreme Choice Colt Sold by The Chase
The second million dollar colt on the opening day of Magic Millions came late on Tuesday when the Extreme Choice colt from former brilliant I Am Invincible filly Dame Giselle sold for $1.2million.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday January 13
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Torryburn Stud Sell $825,000 Zoustar Colt
Widden Stud’s reigning champion sire Zoustar had just one colt sell on the opening day of Magic Millions on Tuesday with Torryburn Stud well rewarded for the first living foal of Centimental that sold for $825,000.
Likely Autumn Superstars Set to Trial on Thursday
Autumn Glow, Sir Delius, Via Sistina, Lady Shenandoah and Apocalyptic and more - Punters and racing fans can see a suite of Australia’s best horses live in action at Royal Randwick on Thursday as campaigns begin for many of the looming Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival’s biggest feature races.
Hot Lots Day 2 - Magic Millions
With the opening day of selling at Magic Millions finished for the day, Frankel (GB) hit the heights, topping the sale with a $2m colt, while I Am Invincible took top honours on averages, 3 or more sold.
Stallion Syndicate Purchase $725,000 Too Darn Hot Colt
Too Darn Hot (GB) covered the best book of mares in the country last spring and his only yearling to be offered in the opening session of Magic Millions on Tuesday was duly snapped up by China Horse Club/Newgate & Partners for $725,000.
Gai and Adrian Secure $750,000 Justify Filly
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott won the 2024 Magic Millions 2YO Classic with an exceptional colt by Justify (USA) in Storm Boy and they signed for a cracking filly by the same sire at Magic Millions on Tuesday.