Kerry Parker will consider everything from the Doncaster mile to the Sydney Cup, after Think It Over's outstanding run for third in Saturday's $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange.
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Already the winner of a Group 3 Craven Plate over 2000m, the five-year-old gelding showed he is sharp enough for the 1600m trip in elite company, holding off a wall of challengers to secure a place behind the Hawkes stable's Archedemus and favourite Dawn Passage, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
There was a moment about 300m out where it looked like Think It Over might even loom to win, after the leaders maintained a high tempo in running, but Archdemus refused to yield.
Parker was watching on a television out the back in what is usually the betting enclosure, which was off limits to punters due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"Halfway down the straight I thought the leaders were going to come back to us," Parker said.
"I thought we were a chance, but they just kept going. But he held everyone else off as well, it was a great run and he'll enjoy a spell in the paddock now.
"We always wanted to get to 2400m and beyond and he may still do that in the autumn, but he also might just be a bit too brilliant yet, so we'll wait and see how he comes back."
It was after the Listed Canberra Cup in March, where Think It Over finished fourth behind the Kris Lees-trained Mugatoo - who went on to finished fourth in the Cox Plate - that Parker knew he had a Group horse on his hands.
On Thursday, Parker had said he rated Think It Over ($41) a $10 chance in the $1 million race against the likes of Dawn Passage, who was third in the Golden Eagle, and Group 1 placed Cascadian and Rock.
"He was definitely overs, they missed him in the market," Parker said. "I thought he was a $10 shot and he has certainly run like he should have been at that price."
It adds to Think It Over's reputation as one of the best horses Kembla Grange trainers have produced in recent times.
Parker had Brilliant Light, who ran third in the Doncaster in 2010, as well as Don Raphael and Gold Sovereign, who both ran in the Melbourne Cup. Dark Dream won the 2018 Queensland Derby before being sold to interests in Hong Kong.
"We're still not sure where he fits in," Parker said.
"We aimed him at The Gong, so I didn't want to push him over further and become too dour.
"I'd say he could be nominated for anything from the Doncaster to the Sydney Cup when he comes back and we'll work it out from there."