Think Positive

After a powerful win to Denzil at Scone earlier this month, the stunning colt I Thought So followed suit and made it two on the trot with a decisive win at Warwick Farm over 1200m.

Twitter erupted with comparisons to the 3YO’s famous sire So You Think and rightfully so, with our chocolate brown colt sporting a white star, thick forelock and brilliant turn of foot to match.

So You Think has delivered on his exceptional racetrack performances in the breeding barn with his debut crop now well into their 3YO seasons and importantly breaking through at the highest level - with the New Zealand filly La Bella Diosa winning the 1,000 Guineas at Riccarton and the Hawkes-trained Inference ploughing through a heavy 10 to secure the Randwick Guineas.

The breed can handle the wet too - with La Bella Diosa making short work of the G2 Surround Stakes field on a heavy 10, and I Thought So skipping over the heavy 8 of Warwick Farm generously.

“We'll keep going forward from here – the (soft) tracks are probably going to be an asset for him, especially this time of year," remarked Pfieffer post-race.

"He's a pretty boy and he knows it but he's very professional at home”.

I Thought So was forced to work hard early in his previous run at Randwick when unsuitably controlling the race in front and holding off all challengers under a positive ride from Hugh Bowman. Allowed to relax and stalk the pace this time around, new rider Kerrin McEvoy had the colt ideally placed approaching the turn and once asked for an effort sprinted clear to win by just over two lengths.

"I loved the way he put the race away today and showed a bit of class" said Pfieffer.

A day later Refuge Bay forged her way into the spotlight with a deserved win at Muswellbrook over 1450m for Mitchell Bell.

The $2 favourite was afforded a textbook ride by Bell and delivered on her promise, racing clear of Rokda Kasba who held second gamely, with a good margin back to the Rodney Ollerton-trained Just Bute in third.

“She has been building towards this win for some time now so it is rewarding to see her get a confidence-building win” commented Pfieffer.

Refuge Bay showed provided a hint of things to come when closing strongly over the 1300m at Goulburn behind the talented Street Cry filly Elouera.

“She got clear and kept coming (at Goulburn) so I was confident she would be too strong once over the 1450”.

Refuge Bay, by champion New Zealand sire Savabeel, is the second foal of the Fastnet Rock mare America Bay, who died in 2015 after foaling a filly by Charge Forward. It makes for yet another stirring example of the incomparable Zabeel/Danehill cross that met with so much success, with Savabeel a son of the late Cambridge Stud champion sire and America Bay carrying the Danehill line through her sire.

As Pfieffer prepares I Thought So for a tilt at the $150,000 Listed Gosford Guineas over 1200m on March 30, Refuge Bay will be seen back at the races at the same track at distance this Sunday, again securing the services of Mitchell Bell.

“She is perfectly placed to keep her winning momentum going, I’ve got Bell back on board and she gets over the same distance as her last start so I’m keen to get her on the float”.

Joining Refuge Bay at Muswellbrook is Fort Myer, the speedy son of Arlington, who races over 1000m in a benchmark 65, and new recruit Crafty Tycoon, who will be set for the Class 1 over 1280m.

With a possible four runners on the Saturday at Newcastle the odds of another winning, albeit wet, week continue to shorten.