Think It Over has won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes after a genius ride from Nash Rawiller on Saturday.
Rawiller took the Kerry Parker-trained gelding to the extreme outside down the Randwick straight and it proved to be the winning move, overhauling leader Zaaki to claim what was billed as the race of the autumn.
Jumping at $34, the six-year-old son of So You Think edged out All Star Mile winner Zaaki by half a length, with Mount Popa several lengths further back in third.
Nash Rawiller with one of the great rides to win the Queen Elizabeth on Think It Over! pic.twitter.com/enFDAh6L5f
— TAB (@tabcomau) April 9, 2022
Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant jumped a $3.70 favourite but never looked like challenging, while star colt Anamoe was disappointing, spotting the field past the post.
Think It Over is by no means reputed as a wet-tracker and that's what the punters were looking for after the rain Sydney has experienced so far this year.
Few jockeys have been game to look for better ground as far wide as Rawiller did over the first two days of The Championships at Randwick but it paid dividends in the $4 million, 2,000m race on Saturday.
Rawiller spoke about the decision to chance his hand after the race.
"The reason why he was odds like that is the conditions," Rawiller said.
"When I straightened up and I was that close to it, I thought it's worth a go and I just felt it's where the ambulance drives and the tractors and all that.
"For my bloke it was going from a heavy 9 to a slow 6 which he can handle.
"When he can handle the track, he's a very good horse."
"Goodness gracious me."
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 9, 2022
Daring tactics indeed from @nashhot on Think It Over. pic.twitter.com/c4kGjrzo2C
Parker, who claimed the biggest win of his training career said he plan was to ride Think It Over near the speed and ensure the likes of Zaaki didn't get a soft lead.
The trainer said it was Rawiller who made the race-winning call on the fly in the straight.
"The plan was to make sure he was forward and keep them honest and try and get them off the bit chasing," Parker said.
"Nash has made the call to try and get to the outside fence where no one had been today.
"When everyone writes him off, that's when he's at his best. Him and I both.
"There was no way we came here today not trying to win and Nash has just proved that.
"He just tries his hardest all the time. If we could get them off the bit and chasing and he could stay on the bit for as long as he could, his will and his determination is second to none."
The win also completed an impressive running double for So You Think progeny after Knights Order went wire to wire in the $2 million, 3,200m Sydney Cup.
It got even better in the next race when Nimalee, another So You Think runner, took out the Queen of the Turf.
