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Setback for George Ryder Stakes favourite

3 minute read

Blood tests later this week will determine whether Think About It lines up on Golden Slipper Day.

Think About It.
Think About It. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Everest winner Think About It has returned an elevated white blood cell count during routine testing and is in doubt for the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill.

Trainer Joe Pride notified Racing NSW stewards of the results on Thursday but said a subsequent endoscopic examination came back clear.

With the horse showing no obvious signs of illness, Pride plans to conduct further blood tests on Think About It before deciding whether he will line up on Saturday.

The gelding is the pre-post favourite for the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and his withdrawal would prompt a major reshuffle of the market.

It would also be a bitter blow for connections as the race is slated to be Think About It's final lead-up to the Doncaster Mile a fortnight from Saturday and an important test of his credentials as a miler.

Prior to the setback, Pride was bullish about the five-year-old's chances, despite an outside draw in barrier 17.

The horse was beaten as a short-priced favourite in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) first-up when he had a tough run after drifting back early then making a mid-race move and sustaining a long run to the line.

Pride thought Think About It did an enormous job to hold on for second under the circumstances.

"If he had one of those graphs on a video game with the little carrots, he had five carrots and he'd spent four of them before the furlong," Pride said.

"He was on empty for that last bit but he's very brave and very tough and he kept going as best he could."

If Think About It does take his place on Saturday, Pride is banking on the horse's class to overcome his wide draw and says he will be given a positive ride in the bumper field of 19 runners.

"He led and won a Liverpool City Cup, so we'll be very positive on him on Saturday," Pride said.

"It's an extremely important run again for him this weekend in a race where we're trying to get a guide as to how strong he's going to be at a mile."

Think About It remained a $3.80 favourite for the George Ryder Stakes following news of his blood test results on Thursday, ahead of three-year-olds Militarize ($5) and Encap ($8.50).

He is also an equal $5 elect for the Doncaster Mile (1600m), sharing the top line of betting with Randwick Guineas winner Celestial Legend.


Racing and Sports

Rosehill

Saturday, 23rd March 2024

7
15:55
(local)

THE AGENCY GEORGE RYDER STAKES (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Type: OPEN
AUD $1,007,000
1500m TURF GOOD
7
15:55
(local)
AUD $1,007,000
1500m GOOD

THE AGENCY GEORGE RYDER STAKES (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 17. VEIGHT (AUS) 3yo C
GRUNT (NZ) - NEENA ROCK (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
T & C MCEVOY
$7
56kg
Pipeliner Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: W G Mitchell), Sledmere Stud (Mgr: Mrs C J Murphy), Telemon Stud (Mgr: D J Fletcher), R J Pawsey, T J Kirkwood, J K Mackay, A J Parrish, R Shelley & M Twycross

Sales Information

2nd 15. LADY LAGUNA (AUS) 4yo M
OVERSHARE (AUS) - CATALINA DE LAGO (NZ)
TYLER SCHILLER
ANNABEL NEASHAM
$8.5
57kg
O T I Racing (Mgrs: T Henderson & S Driscoll), P Williams, J Cahill, Mrs B Gilbert, J & Mrs J Spence, R Menchise, P Van Buynder, J Boyd, A Boyd, Mrs J Rubira, Persephone Racing, Mrs J Pilloni, Tight Lines Racing, R Bow, Ms L Gillespie, Mrs H Ridout, BMPH & Madmartigan
3rd 16. MILITARIZE (NZ) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - AMERINDIA (GB)
JAMES MCDONALD
CHRIS WALLER
$5
56kg
Newgate Bloodstock, China Horse Club Racing Pty Ltd, Trilogy, Newgate S F, Horse Ventures, Go Bloodstock Australia, Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Carpe Diem, Aston Bloodstock, Nick Vass Bloodstock, G1G Colts & Breeding Pty Ltd & Aristia Park Bloodstock Pty Ltd

Sales Information

4th 5. GOLDEN MILE (AUS) 4yo H
ASTERN (AUS) - CALAVERITE (AUS)
TOMMY BERRY
JAMES CUMMINGS
$51
59kg
5th 1. THINK ABOUT IT (AUS) 5yo G
SO YOU THINK (NZ) - TIARE (AUS)
SAM CLIPPERTON
JOSEPH PRIDE
$4.8
59kg

Sales Information

6th 18. ENCAP (AUS) 3yo G
CAPITALIST (AUS) - ENQUARE (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
GARY PORTELLI
$9
56kg

Sales Information

7th 3. PERICLES (AUS) 4yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - ACCESSORIES (GB)
HUGH BOWMAN
JAMES CUMMINGS
$13
59kg
8th 19. TIZ INVINCIBLE (AUS) 3yo F
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - AMULETUM (GB)
ZAC LLOYD
CIARON MAHER
$41
54kg

Sales Information

9th 12. AMENABLE (AUS) 4yo G
LONHRO (AUS) - CARRIBEAN SUNSET (IRE)
MARK ZAHRA
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
$11
59kg

Sales Information

10th 8. BANDERSNATCH (AUS) 7yo G
CASINO PRINCE (AUS) - DIVINE FAITH (AUS)
JORDAN CHILDS
M, W & J HAWKES
$151
59kg

Sales Information

11th 4. KOVALICA (NZ) 4yo G
OCEAN PARK (NZ) - VITESSE (NZ)
NASH RAWILLER
CHRIS WALLER
$17
59kg

Sales Information

12th 2. CEPHEUS (GB) 7yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - CRIMSON CHEER (USA)
ADAM HYERONIMUS
MATTHEW DUNN
$101
59kg

Sales Information

13th 6. NAVAJO PEAK (AUS) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - SHIP ROCK (AUS)
KERRIN MCEVOY
DAVID PAYNE
$101
59kg
14th 11. NEW ENERGY (IRE) 5yo G
NEW BAY (GB) - FOR JOY (GB)
JASON COLLETT
CIARON MAHER
$16
59kg

Sales Information

15th 9. LOCH EAGLE (AUS) 5yo G
LONHRO (AUS) - SONG STREET (IRE)
DYLAN GIBBONS
KRIS LEES
$101
59kg

Sales Information

16th 7. UNSPOKEN (IRE) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - SILENT SECRET (IRE)
TOM SHERRY
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
$81
59kg

Sales Information

17th 14. COSMIC VEGA (IRE) 6yo G
LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) - PIVOTAL ERA (GB)
JAMIE KAH
CIARON MAHER
$61
59kg

Sales Information

18th 10. MIGHTY ULYSSES (GB) 5yo G
ULYSSES (IRE) - TOKEN OF LOVE (GB)
TOM MARQUAND
ANNABEL NEASHAM
$61
59kg

Sales Information

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