A pair of bargain buys will line up in Saturday’s Giga Kick Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill looking to extend their prize money to $20 million.
Everest winner Think About It has now won just shy of $11 million in prize money from his 12 starts, while he’s only tasted defeat once.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Think About It wins The Everest.
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His stablemate, Private Eye, now a two-time placegetter in the world’s richest turf race, will break through the $10million mark if he wins the race for the second time in as many years.
Both runners will sport the famous silks of Proven Thoroughbreds – black and lime. Proven’s head honcho, Jamie Walter, is the brother of the late Guy Walter, who’s champion galloper Tie The Knot, winner of 13 Group 1 races including an unprecedented four straight Chipping Norton Stakes.
As Jamie enters his twilight years, his son Tom has chimed into the family business at the right time.
Think About It was purchased for $70,000 – a pittance by modern-day standards, while Private Eye was even cheaper at $62,500.
“We’ve always tried to find that balance between quality horses and good value,” Walter said.
“To have two horses in the Everest this year was something special and then to finish first and third was out of this world.”
Walter says he and the old man owe so much to their trainer Joe Pride.
“I think Joe will be a specialist Everest trainer,” he said.
“The race is made for old geldings. Private Eye finished second to Giga Kick last year and third again this year to Think About It.
“And it’s these older gelding that attract newcomers to racing because they’re not whisked away to stud before we see the best of them.
“Joe is a patient trainer. His ability to gain longevity from his racehorses is second to none.
“What makes, and what will continue to make The Everest a great race, is the old warriors turning up each year to battle it out.
“People fall in love with the horse and old geldings who race for years are easy to love because the fans get to see so much of them.”
Think About It is the $1.80 favourite for the Giga Kick Stakes with Private Eye the second elect at $3.70.
“Joe is an unabashed fan of Private Eye. He loves that horse,” Walter said.
“But Think About It is pretty much unstoppable at the moment. In fact, no horse has ever run past him in a race. The only time he got beaten, he couldn’t run them down.
“I think a rain-affected track works in favour of Think About It but Joe keeps telling us there’s nothing between them so perhaps the value is with Private Eye given he’s double the odds.”
What lies head for both horses?
“Private Eye is getting on a bit and we’re hopeful he can come back next year and line up in his third Everest,” he added.
“The new kid on the block, Think About It, well, Joe wants to test him out over 2000m with the view of heading to Cox Plate next spring.
“Makes for an interesting autumn, doesn’t it?”
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