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Carif headlines stakes treble for Coolmore sire
Coolmore Stud-based sire So You Think (High Chaparral) enjoyed a lucrative day on the track on Saturday as he sired a stakes double, headed by Carif’s (5 h ex Norzita by Thorn Park), who lead home a quinella for the stallion in the Sandown Cup (Listed, 3200m), which saw the stallion’s stakes-winning haul move to 30.
The five-year-old races in the late Dato Tan Chin Nam’s colours which are now used by his breeders Think Big Stud and they are the same colours as his sire So You Think raced in throughout his career. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained five-year-old ran down his rivals to beat Realm Of Flowers (So You Think) by a head. San Huberto (Speightstown) was another length and three-quarters away in third.
The result was tinged with sadness, with Arrowfield Stud announcing after the win that the entire’s dual Group 1-winning dam Norzita (Thorn Park) died on Saturday morning after a paddock accident.
While Peter Snowden was happy with the victory, he was lamenting the fact the five-year-old missed the cut for this year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
"It wasn't the two-mile race that we were after but at least it was two miles and it was good to see him win,” said Snowden.
"He is a really nice horse. He's a great type to look at. It's just a shame that things have taken so long. I don't like to tell him that he's going to get gelded but it just might be the making of the horse. He gets a bit more genuine and he can knuckle down and do his job.
“He's a great worker, sound as a pound, he's a good eater, everything you want to see in a staying horse but he just lacks a turn-of-foot and that might come."
Snowden was also quick to heap praise on jockey Jamie Kah - who enjoyed a treble at the track on Saturday.
“She rode him an absolute treat. Ten-out-of-ten ride. It was good to see him win.
"He even wanted to duck out and shake my hand towards the line but I said 'I'll see you later.”
The colt is one of two winners out of the aforementioned Norzita, whose four career wins were headlined by victories in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). The mare was most recently purchased by Jon Freyer Bloodstock for $1.7 million at last year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale and she leaves a yearling by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), while she most recently produced a filly by The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice).
Norzita herself is a sister to Listed winner Hollows, while this is the same family as Group 1 winner and successful sire Zeditave (The Judge) and fellow elite level winner Melito (Redoute’s Choice) and Group 3 winner and now Arrowfield Stud-based sire Pariah (Redoute’s Choice)
So You Think’s prowess as a stallion was further advertised by So Si Bon, who snapped a long-winning drought when he landed the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m), and the son of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) stands at Coolmore for a fee of $38,000 (inc GST).
