By Bren O'Brien
The second running of the $1 million The Gong on Saturday holds extra significance for Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker, with his consistent 5-year-old Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) the only locally trained galloper in Wollongong's richest race.
Think It Over has been a terrific money-spinner for connections this spring, placing three times at Randwick before jumping up to stakes company and capturing the $500,000 G3 Craven Plate on Everest day last month.
The $1 million 1600 metre Kembla Grange feature was always on Parker's agenda for Think It Over, and he has been given a three-week freshen up since his most recent run, when unsuited by the heavy track in the Rosehill Cup.
Parker is very much aware that he will be the only Kembla Grange trainer with a horse in the race and is hopeful Think It Over can give the locals something to cheer for.
"It's very hard to get horses of that grade to run in million dollar races, so we are pleased for him to carry the flag and let’s hope he can do Wollongong proud," Parker told TDN AusNZ.
"We are pleased for him to carry the flag and let’s hope he can do Wollongong proud." - Kerry Parker
"I think he can hold his own. There is no doubt he has to run up to his best. It’s no gimme, it's a proper race. There's some good form and good depth there. We are just hoping that home track advantage, and local knowledge for the horse might help him out."
Interestingly, it will be Think It Over's first ever race start on his home track having campaigned almost exclusively in Sydney in his 12 runs since joining Parker's stable.
"He's never had a start here, but he does work on the course proper a couple of times a week. He kind of runs the show down here. He's quite happy and he knows the track inside out," he said.
"This race was in our mind all along and that's why I didn’t push him over any further than 2000 metres this prep. I kept him at the 2000 metre races, so there was a chance to bring him back to the mile.
"He's probably a better horse over further, but the million dollar race is at the mile, so we will do our best to have him right for a mile."
Bred and raced by Richard Johnston of Bylong Park, Think It Over is from a family with strong connections to Kembla Grange. His dam, Personal Service (Zabeel {NZ}) is a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Universal Prince, who was trained by legendary Kembla trainer Bede Murray, as well as his Group 1-winning sister Universal Queen (NZ).
Having won one of his first six starts for John Sargent, Think It Over joined Parker's stable in August last year, and has continued to improve.
"He can be a bit quirky. The So You Thinks can be a bit like that. But all in all, he's got better every preparation since I have had him. I won't say he's straightforward, he has his quirks and you have to work with him, but he's fine," he said.
Now a 5-year-old, he seems to have fully matured and Parker feels he is only now hitting his peak, 19 starts into his career.
"That's common with the So You Thinks too. They can take that little while to grow up. He's developed a lot more of a race brain this preparation and that's showing with his results," he said.
Think It Over
Bookmakers have Think It Over as one of the outsiders in The Gong but there will be no trainer more motivated than Parker to capture the prize.
"First you have to have the horse that is capable of targeting it, and it’s not easy for us smaller stables to have horses that can do that. It’s not easy for small trainers to have horses of that calibre," he said.
"It’s given us something to aim for. Just to have runners at your home track on Saturday, looking for that Saturday metro prizemoney, it’s absolutely sensational."
Parker has four other runners engaged across different races on Saturday, looking to take advantage of an annual shot at the metropolitan riches on home turf.
