Thinkin’ Big headed to Victoria Derby
Jockey Blake Shinn rides Thinkin’ Big to victory at Rosehill Gardens.
The last two-year-old race of the Sydney season has produced a winner Gai Waterhouse believes can deliver her and training partner Adrian Bott success in the Victoria Derby.
Thinkin’ Big ($3.60 fav) led all the way over the 1500 metres and held off his rivals comfortably with Laburnam ($3.70) getting closest, 1-1/4 lengths away.
Waterhouse said the colt had the right attributes to deliver the Classic over 2500m at Flemington on November 3.
“Thinkin’ Big is very promising and will stay all day,” Waterhouse said.
“The stable has had a couple of two-year-olds win in the last week that I think are Spring Champion Stakes and Victoria Derby horses and they are Thinkin’ Big and Sydney Blue.
“They are both talented young stayers although Thinkin’ Big has a touch more brilliance.”
Sydney Blue won a 1400m-race at Kembla Grange last Saturday.
Thinkin’ Big’s granddam Nothin’ Leica Ripa is by Nothin’ Leica Dane who Waterhouse trained to win the 1995 Victoria Derby.
Blake Shinn, who rode Thinkin’ Big, said the colt was a potential star.
“He is bred to get over ground and he is going the right way,” Shinn said.
“He was star gazing a bit but he is still learning.
“He’s a lovely horse. He’s still untapped. Who knows where he will end up.”