Flemington’s VRC Derby over the Melbourne Cup Carnival could be on the spring agenda for untapped Kiwi stayer Quick Thinker who relished the Heavy going at Rosehill on Saturday to win the Group 3 $160,000 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).
Impressive Ming Dynasty Quality winner Quick Thinker targets the VRC Derby 2019 in Melbourne this November. Photo: Steve Hart.
A quality field of three-year-olds took to the rain-affected track in this year’s Ming Dynasty Quality, but many looked to struggle in the wet over the closing stages of the handicap clash.
The conditions were no issue however for the visiting Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Quick Thinker ($11), the well-bred So You Think colt relishing the wet in his first-up run down under.
He had the perfect pedigree to win the Ming Dynasty Quality, his sire So You Think having run second in the race a decade ago ahead of his 2009 Cox Plate victory.
Co-trainer Baker meanwhile won the Ming Dynasty a year after the So You Think success, taking out the 2010 edition with the ill-fated Lion Tamer who went on to win that year’s Victoria Derby.
“Hughie won this race for us on Lion Tamer a few years ago and he went on to do good things so hopefully this guy can do the same,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.
“He looked a little bit in trouble coming to the top of the straight and he had a lot to do but won with authority in the end and I think that’s a sign of a good horse.”
Up-and-coming raider Quick Thinker was last seen racing at Ellerslie on April 20 taking out the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) over the mile.
His first-up form in Australia was impressive, Quick Thinker posting back-to-back wins ahead of big spring campaign targeting the three-year-old staying races in Sydney and Melbourne.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman, who as mentioned by Forsman also teamed up with the stable for the victory on Lion Tamer nine years ago, Quick Thinker came into the race late drawing away in the closing stages.
“What I ire most about this horse is his tenacity to win,” Bowman said post-race.
“I can see him being every bit as effective on top of the ground.
“The stable wasn’t confident that he’d handle it.
“The fact that he can do that first-up. He was prepared to run well but I don’t think they were that confident – they certainly didn’t show that to me before the race.
“It was a lovely surprise to have him win like that.”
Quick Thinker defeated John Sargent’s potential Oaks’ filly Aspect Ratio ($19) by two lengths, with beaten hoop Andrew Adkins full of praise for the runner-up.
“Huge run by her,” he said.
Little bit sticky early but we ended up in the spot we wanted to be. She travelled enormous.
“To me she didn’t feel like she handled the track at all but she kept surging when I asked her.
“To the line it was a huge run and she will come on for that. Hopefully I can stick with her she might be an Oaks filly in the future.”
The Chris Waller-trained Reformist ($14) ran a further one and a half lengths back third, while the race favourite Academy dropped out crossing seventh after an on-pace run with the blinkers on.
Quick Thinker looks the perfect type for a Royal Randwick run on October 12 in the Group 1 $1 million Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), a target subsequently confirmed by OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson.
“I think he might be a special horse,” Henderson said. “He really has impressed all the way through and I know Murray and Andrew had a great opinion of him.
“He just hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. I wouldn’t have thought today would be his day because a wet track over 1400m, I would have thought he needed the 2000m.
“To see him hit the line like that is very exciting.”
The long-term aim would obviously see Quick Thinker head south to Flemington Racecourse on November 2 for a shot at the Group 1 $2 million AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m).
Futures Victoria Derby 2019 betting through Ladbrokes.com.au has firmed on the eye-catching Ming Dynasty winner with Quick Thinker in from $15 to $13 to take out the classic.
2019 Ming Dynasty Quality Results & Finishing Order
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | QUICK THINKER | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Hugh Bowman | – | 9 | 57kg | $11 |
| 2 | 11 | ASPECT RATIO | John Sargent | Andrew Adkins | 2L | 8 | 53kg | $19 |
| 3 | 7 | REFORMIST | Chris Waller | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 3.5L | 4 | 54kg | $14 |
| 4 | 3 | RHAEGAR | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Jason Collett | 4.4L | 5 | 57kg | $26 |
| 5 | 5 | SUBEDAR | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.6L | 2 | 56kg | $3 |
| 6 | 8 | SAVOURY (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Brenton Avdulla | 4.9L | 7 | 54kg | $7 |
| 7 | 4 | ACADEMY | Mark Newnham | Tim Clark | 6.7L | 1 | 56kg | $2.80F |
| 8 | 9 | MYSTERY TRICK | Bjorn Baker | Jay Ford | 7.3L | 6 | 53kg | $17 |
| 9 | 10 | SATIN RAIN | Anthony Cummings | Glen Boss | 11.9L | 3 | 53kg | $31 |
| – | 1 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | David Vandyke | Ryan Maloney | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 6 | MADDI ROCKS | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | – | 0 | – | – |
