Shaune Ritchie & Global Thinking win Southland Guineas
The Cambridge trainer won the event in 1995 with The Hyatt, but success this time around will have a much more lasting effect.
“The Hyatt was a gelding and the key factor here was identifying a filly that is a length or two below the three-year-olds up north and turning her into a black type winner,” the Cambridge trainer said.
“She’s cemented her broodmare career now. Placing this type of filly to do that was always the way to go.”
Runner-up last time out in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m), Global Thinking settled last before she looped the field in the hands of Kylie Williams and then charged clear in the straight to beat The Sparkle and Courte Zarindi.
“Life was a lot easier without Excelleration in the race,” Ritchie said.
“Sean Bellew has been taking care of her down there for me and he’s done a wonderful job so thanks to him.”
Global Thinking will now get one more chance of picking up further black type on her southern excursion.
“She’ll run in the NZB Insurance Stakes at Wingatui in a fortnight’s time and she’ll almost certainly come home after that,” Ritchie said.
Meanwhile, the stable wasn’t prepared to risk the promising stayer Excalibur on a rain-affected track at Ellerslie.
“He’s won three of his last four starts and couldn’t go in that sort of ground when he was beaten on New Year’s Day,” Ritchie said.
“He’ll go to Hastings for a Rating 85 over 2100m and if he runs well he could still go to the Auckland Cup.”