Think Big

Think Big holds an interesting place in Australian racing history. He is one of only five horses to have won the Melbourne Cup more than once, but in many ways is the most unpopular of all. In 1974 he beat the glamour mare Leilani to again give his trainer Bart Cummings a quinella in the race, and in the following year he started at 33/1 after moderate form leading up to the race.

Rather surprisingly the gelding had his first start as an early 2yo, on 23 September 1972. He was to stay in training until March 1973 although he raced only eight times in that period. His only win came in a 2yo handicap at Cheltenham in Adelaide when carrying only 50kg. On the strength of this win, his next start was in the VRC Sires’ Produce but he could only manage eighth in the ten horse field behind the brilliant Imagele. He followed that up with a fourth in the Gibson Carmichael also at Flemington behind Attilee.

Awell deserved break saw Think Big return as a 3yo in two unsuitable sprint races where he was unplaced before winning an Intermediate over 1600m at Strathalbyn. Another win over the mile at Morphettville saw the gelding head to Melbourne where he won the Carbine Club Stakes beating Marone. Five days later he was to run fourth behind that same horse in the Batman Handicap over 2000m when the 10/9 favourite. He returned to Adelaide to run second behind the brilliant mare Toltrice over 1600m before heading to the paddock.

Think Big’s Autumn included a win over 2200m at Ballarat before heading to Brisbane for the Winter. It was here that the gelding was first earmarked for future glory. He ran third in the Grand Prix Stakes behind Asgard before winning the Churchill Stakes. It was his very good third in the Brisbane Cup over 3200m behind El Karpe that put his name forward as a genuine Cups contender. A short break saw the gelding back for the Spring with high hopes for his connections. The preparation did not go to plan, and when Think Big ran last in the Metropolitan it seemed that he was not up to the ambitious Spring program. But Cummings persisted and after running seventh in the Coongy Handicap and eighth in the Moonee Valley Cup, his place in the Cup field was under threat. The Cummings magic saw Think Big win the Hotham Handicap on the Saturday before the Cup to cement his place in the big race. In 1974 though, Leilani was the pinup horse of the Australian turf. Not only was she trained by the popular Cummings, but she was also raced by prominent Liberal politician Andrew Peacock. She was the public elect and a firm 7/2 favourite for the race. Leilani hit the front inside the final 100m and looked to be home with the public cheering loudly. They did not count on the finish of Think Big who had been among the tailenders for the entire race. He unleashed a devastating burst that saw him sweep to the lead and cruise to an easy one length win. It was to provide the fourth quinella for Cummings in the race and was the first win for Harry White.

Think Big remained in work, running ninth in the Sandown Cup before heading to Perth for the Summer Carnival. He ran fourth in the CB Cox Stakes behind Battle Heights and third in the Perth Cup behind Taras Bulba. A well-earned break ensued and the gelding did not return to the track until August 1975. He had three unplaced runs in Sydney before showing glimpses of his best form by running third in the Caulfield Stakes behind dead-heaters Guest Star and Zambari. He then ran tenth behind Analight in the Caulfield Cup. A poor second last in the Mackinnon Stakes the Saturday before the race did little for stable confidence and Think Big was sent out at 33/1 on the Tuesday. The gelding though was not at home in wet

There is not a great deal of close inbreeding in the pedigree of Think Big (4.69%) and by the 1960’s this was becoming a regular feature especially in stayers. The most notable feature is likely the three lines of Hurry On in his pedigree. If we were to look more closely at the pedigree of Hurry On, not only would we see that he is heavily inbred to Stockwell, but also to his dam Pocahontas, as well as seeing his damsire as Sainfoin who carries two close lines of Stockwell and appears importantly in the pedigree of Sirius. We also see two lines of Phalaris who we noted has Sainfoin as his damsire. There are also two lines of Son-in-Law, a stallion who sees the closest duplication in his pedigree that of Stockwell. Bart Cummings was very particular in type when selecting stayers, and it should be noted that both Galilee and Think Big see the presence of Hyperion in their pedigrees.

conditions, and the track had improved considerably since the quagmire conditions of the weekend, despite more rain on Cup day. Think Big, along with the two other Cummings entries in Leica Lover and Holiday Waggon, were positioned midfield, much closer than he had run the year before. Outsider Medici at 125/1 bounded clear inside the final 400m but Think Big, who had travelled comfortably throughout the race again unleashed his strong finish to put paid to the race in a few strides. Holiday Waggon ran on gamely and got to within three quarters of a length at the finish without ever looking like he was going to beat Think Big.

With this win, Cummings not only quinellaed the race for the fifth time but also equalled the record of legendary trainer, Etienne de Mestre in winning five Melbourne Cups. It was also to be the final win for the gallant horse. He had almost a year off and returned the following Spring. After three unplaced runs in Sydney, Cummings took Think Big to Melbourne, but he finished last in both the Caulfield Stakes behind How Now and Shaitan in the Governor’s Stakes at Moonee Valley, a brief name change for the Moonee Valley Cup. Instead of aiming for a third Cup, Think Big was back in the paddock. He returned on 12 February 1977 with a sixth behind Surround in the CF Orr Stakes but two more ordinary performances in the St George and Australian Cup saw his form turn around with seconds in both the QE II Jubilee Stakes over 2500m at Flemington behind Better Draw and the Tancred Stakes in Sydney over 2400m behind Our Cavalier. A fifth over 2000m in the Tancred behind Balmerino saw Think Big go into the Sydney Cup but he was to finish last behind Reckless. A trip to Adelaide saw him finish fourth in the West End Stakes over 2450m behind Wave King and ninth in the Adelaide Cup again behind Reckless. He went to the paddock, but leg issues prevented his return to the races for over 18 months. As an eight year old, Think Big started at 400/1 over 1000m in the Challenge Stakes in Sydney where he finished last of 16 behind Chrisole. He went to Melbourne where he finished eleventh of 12 runners behind Manikato in the CF Orr at the remarkable odds of 1000/1. He was to have three more runs in the Futurity, TS Carlyon and Australian Cup before thankfully being retired to the care of his Melbourne Cup winning jockey Harry White. Think Big lived to the age of 24. The horse died peacefully under his favourite tree which is where he was buried. His name also lives on honoured by his famed owner, Dato Tan Chin Nam, who named his stud, Think Big Stud after the grand old galloper.

Think Big was by the NZ bred Sobig out of Sarcelle who also produced the Paramatta Cup winner, Duglig. He too traces to a daughter of Nordenfeldt in Stepfeldt to continue the influence of Hurtle Fisher on Australian Racing History.