So You Think ascends to stratosphere

NZ Bloodstock graduate So You Think etched his name into the history books by successfully defending his Cox Plate crown at Mooney Valley on Saturday.

So You Think (4h High Chaparral – Triassic by Tights) is the only horse in Cox Plate history to win the Australian weight for age championship as a three and four-year-old.  In fact, he doesn’t actually turn four until November 10.

The last horse to win two Cox Plates in a row was Northerly in 2000-01 and mighty mare Sunline also went back-to-back in 1999-2000.  

So You Think’s sire High Chaparral has established a clear lead in the Australian premiership after just 12 weeks of the 2010-11 season.  The Coolmore stallion has sired the winners of $4.75 million and could break all existing records if So You Think wins this year’s $6 million Melbourne Cup.

High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) currently has a near $3 million lead over More Than Ready ($1.93 million), Street Cry ($1.84m) and Redoute’s Choice ($1.83m).

Coolmore colossus Danehill holds the prizemoney record with earnings of $11.46 million for the season ending 2005.  His chief earners in that ground-breaking season were Elvstroem ($2.57 million), Fastnet Rock ($1.43m) and Al Maher ($1.13m).

So You Think won Caulfield’s Memsie, Underwood and Yalumba Stakes leading up to the Cox Plate.  Those four wins have netted his owners $2.37 million.  

Victory in this year’s Melbourne Cup will take So You Think and High Chaparral into the stratosphere.  The winner’s connections receive $3.60 million in prizemoney and trophies valued at $175,000.

And he can bank more prizemoney if Bart Cummings decides to give him a hit-out in the $750,000 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington this Saturday.

So You Think was a $110,000 purchase for DGR Thoroughbreds from Windsor Park Stud at the 2008 NZ Bloodstock Premier yearling sale.  He is raced by long time Cummings client and friend Dato Tan Chin Nam in partnership with Tunku Ahmad Yahaya.

So You Think notched a fifth Cox Plate for Cummings following Dane Ripper (1997), Saintly (1996) and Taj Rossi (1973).  “He was never in any trouble,” Bart said.  “He’s up there now in the top four or five but he hasn’t won a Melbourne Cup yet.”

TAB Sportsbet has installed So You Think a $3.50 favourite to give Bart his 13th Melbourne Cup on Tuesday week.