Racing: Cummings thinks colt is ready for Cox

MELBOURNE - Bart Cummings will try to win his fourth Cox Plate and his second with a 3-year-old when the inexperienced So You Think runs in Australasia's weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

The Moonee Valley Racing Club committee had no issue about the Gloaming Stakes winner being worthy of a run in the A$3 million race which has attracted a full field of 14.

The son of 2002 English Derby winner High Chaparral will be having only his fifth start in the 2040m feature.

Cummings was satisfied with So You Think's work on the outside of stablemate and VRC Oaks contender Faint Perfume although he was beaten by the filly in his workout at the Valley yesterday morning.

"It wasn't too bad, he's a big, gangly, leggy colt. He struggled around the turn a little bit but once he balanced up in the straight he ran the last [400m] sectional in 24 and a fraction. It was okay," Cummings said.

He recalled that Saintly didn't handle the home turn when he won his Cox Plate. "Saintly got lost and struggled around the home turn but he still won by a fraction so the straight is long enough if they are good enough."

Cummings was happy when So You Think was the fifth horse called out at the barrier draw and selected gate seven himself.

At that stage, barriers four (Vision And Power), three (Heart Of Dreams), five (Nom du Jeu) and six (Scenic Shot) had been taken, in that order.

"You've got to be in it to win it and at this stage he's still on a learning curve. I didn't want him to be on the outside of the field because I really believe the horses on his outside will help him to get around the small, tight track at Moonee Valley," Cummings said yesterday.

"Today he was on the outside and the markers were out a long way, as far as they could possibly put them.

"So the horse being here for the first time, it's a big ask for him to be kosher on it."

Cummings won his first Cox Plate 36 years ago with 3-year-old colt Taj Rossi and more recently with 4-year-olds Saintly (1996) and Dane Ripper (1997).

Cummings said he didn't rate So You Think up with Taj Rossi.

"He's promising at this stage, but he'll have to do everything right to run in the placings."

He was still keen to aim So You Think at the Cox Plate if he could make the field, despite him missing a place in the Caulfield Guineas when he came from last to finish fifth to Starspangledbanner.

"His closing sectionals were equal to the winner. He lost any chance he may have had at the barrier. He lost 10 lengths in the first 50 yards because he had a tongue tie on and he resented it so I've taken it off," said Cummings.

"Hopefully, that'll do the trick.

"Overall, I don't think the Cox Plate is as strong as in previous years."

- AAP