Second on debut last April, Quick Thinker won the Listed Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie over 1600 metres at his second start before heading for a spell and the son of So You Think was having his first run since then on Saturday.
Connections feared 1400 metres on heavy ground might not be ideal for the son
of So You Think, but under a col ride from Hugh Bowman his class shone through.Quick Thinker settled back in the field and surged to the line to win by two lengths and has now two of three starts earning over $100,000 and has his sights set on all the major spring goals for staying three year-olds.
"Hughie won this race for us on Lion Tamer a few years ago and he went on to do good things so hopefully this guy can do the same," co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.
"He looked a little bit in trouble coming to the top of the straight and he had a lot to do but won with authority in the end and I think that's a sign of a good horse."
Quick Thinker is majority-owned by OTI Racing and director Terry Henderson was on hand to greet Quick Thinker after his win.
"I think he might be a special horse," Henderson said."He really has impressed all the way through and I know Murray and Andrew had a great opinion of him.
"He just hasn't put a foot wrong so far. I wouldn't have thought today would be his day because a wet track over 1400m, I would have thought he needed the 2000m.
"To see him hit the line like that is very exciting."
Quick Thinker was a $100,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft for
De Burgh Equine and was bred by Bowcock Bloodstock. He is a half-brother to
Group III placed The August from stakes-placed Al Maher mare Acouplamas, who
comes from the family of Group I classic winners Blackfriars and Larrocha.The current two year-old from Acouplamas, a colt by Zoustar, made $1,075,000 at Magic Millions this year for KBL Thoroughbreds when bought by Yu Long Investments/ RIFA Mustang.
He is one of 19 stakes-winners for So You Think, who went close to siring a new Group I winner on Saturday when So Si Bon finished a game second in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.
The best son of the late great High Chaparral (IRE), So You Think stands at a fee of $38,500 at Coolmore this spring.
