Ten years ago in 2009, So You Think was winning the first of his two Cox Plates and on Wednesday he sired his fifth stakes-winner this season when Long Jack cemented his claim on the Group I VRC Victoria Derby with a stylish victory in the $140,000 Listed Geelong Classic.
Prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Long Jack arrived in Australia as a talented stakes-placed maiden and quickly broke the ice with an easy win at Ballarat on September 6.
Two subsequent starts have failed to show his true potential, his most recent outing at Flemington not helped by a very public meltdown in the pre-race parade that left him with little energy when it counted.
Fitted with blinkers to race in and ear muffs for the parade, we saw a more settled Long Jack at Geelong and he duly produced the sort of effort connections were hoping for.
He travelled smoothly back in the field for Damian Lane with plenty of cover and when shown clear running, hit the line hard to win the 2200 metre staying test by half a length over Southern Moon and Relucent, both place-getters also turning in great trials for the Victoria Derby on Saturday week.
“He’ll be in the Derby, but whether he can win it or not I don’t know,” said Murray Baker.
“He’s a horse that is probably three or four months away. We have faith in him though, he’s from a Monsun mare, so he’ll stay like a mother-in-law!”
A homebred for Australian breeders Fergus and Delia Doyle, Long Jack is the first foal from Monsun mare Extravaganza (Ger), a full sister to Group III winning German stayer Energizer. Further back the family features Group I winners Magic of Life, Inara and Joshua Tree.
Extravaganza has since gone to Teofilo (IRE) producing a two year-old colt, Maurice (Jpn) for a yearling filly and she was covered last year by Galileo’s star son Churchill (IRE) recently producing a lovely filly foal, so the Doyles are obviously looking to breed a classic style of horse and have got one in Long Jack.
Long Jack is the 22nd stakes-winner for So You Think and is his fifth this season putting him on a par with Pierro, I Am Invincible and Blackfriars.
So You Think stands at a fee of $38,500 at Coolmore.
Derby Contender for Cox Plate Hero So You Think
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Race Result - Roderick Ins. Geelong Classic LR 2200m
Geelong Track: Good(3) Time: 2:16.32
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: Damian Lane 57
Tnr: Mitchell Freedman Rdr: B Melham 57
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 57
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: Jordan Childs 57
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: John Allen 57
Tnr: J F Moloney Rdr: Jye McNeil 57
Tnr: M A Kavanagh Rdr: Craig Williams 57
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: L Currie 57
Tnr: J Benner & H Wynyard Rdr: M J Walker 57
Tnr: A J Vasil Rdr: Jack Hill 57
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: J Winks 57
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: B Prebble 57
Tnr: R E Laing Rdr: Ben Allen 57
Tnr: Matthew Brown Rdr: B Higgins 57
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Ms L J Meech 57
Tnr: Grant Young Rdr: R J Hurdle 57
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