Kerry Parker is increasingly optimistic Group 1-winning star Think It Over can make a successful return to racing next year after a career-threatening tendon injury.
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Think It Over was on a path towards the Cox Plate this year, having beaten Zaaki in the Queen Elizabeth, who ran fourth behind Anamoe in the Moonee Valley weight-for-age championship.
While any chance of an autumn return is unlikely, Parker said the rehabilitation program is progressing well enough to hold belief the gelding could have another Cox Plate tilt next year.
Showing the highs and lows of racing, Parker is chasing the $1 million The Gong success on home turf at Kembla Grange on Saturday, having ran third in the 2020 edition with Think It Over.
"The scans are good, really positive signs," Parker said.
"With the technology they have now, it's improved a lot. Before we used to just throw them in the paddock for a year and give them all that time.
"Now they're treated more like footballers, they're using the rehab to make sure the strands that you're trying to mend are straight.
"Hopefully we'll get him back and see what we can do in the spring."
Parker said by the time the Cox Plate rolled around this year, the emotion of Think It Over's injury had eased to the point where he could watch, even enjoy watching the great race.
But still, the question lingers, how close would Parker's best ever horse have gone to winning?
There are so many variables, but in isolated results Think It Over beat Zaaki by half a length in the Queen Elizabeth and Anamoe beat Zaaki by 1.3 lengths in the Cox Plate.
"I did [watch it], it was always going to be a great race, they're the stars of the carnival," Parker said.
"You're thinking, I should be in these [races], but it is what it is. I've been around for a few years, you deal with it. You try to take [missing out] out of your mind as much as you can.
"It was more those runs in Sydney early in the prep, it was still pretty fresh, you feel like you're missing in action."
Parker will be in the thick of it again on Saturday, trying to win the Illawarra's richest race, won by Robert and Luke Price with Count De Rupee last year.
His charge Hope In Your Heart, with Jason Collett aboard, drew barrier 15, but could come into 12 depending on any late scratchings. Count De Rupee won the race with a brilliant ride from Brock Ryan from barrier 13 last year.
Parker said there were contrasting approaches to Think It Over's and Hope In Your Heart's training and track work, as they rose through the ranks.
Hope In Your Heart won the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes and Angst Stakes before running a career-peak fourth in the Golden Eagle.
"You've got to treat each horse individually, she's different to him," Parker said.
"He needed racing, was racing every fortnight, to keep the work up to him.
"Where as she's a bit different, she's a genuine 2000-metres horse and I'm trying to train her as a sprinter to keep her backing up into these (1600m) distances."
Parker said after The Gong, Hope In Your Heart would have to progress in the autumn to take a shot at a Group 1.
"Maybe in the right race, but she'll have to improve and take that step again, as she took from three to four."
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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.
