A gutted Kerry Parker was yet to concede Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Think It Over's career was finished, after his Cox Plate plans were ruined by a tendon injury on Wednesday.
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The horse captured the imagination of the Illawarra sporting public when Nash Rawiller steered Think It Over to the outside fence at Randwick to claim the $4 million Group 1 prize, beating superstar Zaaki and Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant in the process.
Think It Over had returned to Parker's stables at Kembla Grange in the build-up to a trial in three weeks, the first step towards chasing Cox Plate glory, the jewel in the crown of Australian weight-for-age racing.
But the horse had some swelling in his leg and Parker sent him for scans to confirm Think It Over's injury, which could be career-ending for the soon-to-be seven-year-old.
"We'll just be guided by the vets," Parker told the Mercury.
"The welfare of the horse is all that matters.
"We're absolutely gutted, he's been such an amazing horse for us and what he's achieved, he means so much to everyone.
"There's some new technology in terms of scans, so we'll wait and see, but you're not half-pregnant, we know a tendon injury can take 12 months to recover."
Think It Over arrived on the scene after Parker had lost Dark Dream, who won the Queensland Derby, to Hong Kong interests.
He made a statement finishing in the $1 million The Gong race over 1600 metres on home turf at Kembla Grange, having won the Group 3 Craven Plate, but it was just the beginning.
From there he won the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes last year and was within two lengths of overseas raider Addeybb and Verry Elleegant in the Queen Elizabeth of 2021.
With COVID travel restrictions halting a Melbourne spring carnival campaign, Parker instead elected to stay at home and completed the Hill Stakes, Craven Plate and Rosehill Cup treble, which secured a $1 million bonus in prize money.
The best was yet to come, as he shrugged off his reputation of not being able to handle wet tracks when Rawiller made the daring move to peel off in front of the Randwick crowd and claim this year's Queen Elizabeth at $41.
The win took his career prize money to more than $7 million.
"He got all their scalps in the end - Zaaki, Verry Elleegant and a few others," Parker said.
"No doubt at all, that's the greatest win of my career.
"Not every horse gets to fulfil their potential and he did that winning the Queen Elizabeth.
"Of course we'd love to attack this spring, but the best decision we made last year was staying at home, he won $4 million in that prep and has shown just how good he is."
Zaaki is a $5.50 favourite for the Cox Plate with Sportsbet, with Melbourne Cup runner-up Incentivise and last year's winner State of Rest leading the market.
Parker admitted he'll need time before making a decision on Think It Over's future.
"We just need to work through the emotion of it all," he said.
"Who knows, there could be still time to come back, but I'm just not worried about that at the moment.
"He's not in any pain and we'll give him time to rest."
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
