Racing: Victory confirms Cox Plate favouritism

So You Think and Steven Arnold. Photo / Getty Images

Jockey Steven Arnold sounded a warning to So You Think's Cox Plate rivals after his Underwood Stakes win, saying the defending champion would only get better.

So You Think gave trainer Bart Cummings his first Underwood victory since Bounty Hawk in 1984 despite racing freshly in the middle stages of yesterday's 1800m race at Caulfield.

So You Think, sent out $1.85 favourite, followed on from his impressive first-up win in the Group Two Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield late last month with a 2 length victory over Dariana ($31) to give the master trainer the quinella.

Metal Bender ($8) was a short half-head away third.

"He just does a lot to please you. I just think he needed that today. He's come on since his first-up run and I think he'll be better for that run."

The High Chaparral 4-year-old was feeling fresh and raced with his head on the side in the early stages wanting to go faster, and Arnold said he raced keenly in the middle stages.

So You Think was Cox Plate favourite before the Underwood but has tightened in to be a clear cut top pick at $2.60 ahead of Whobegotyou at $6, Shoot Out at $9 and More Joyous at $10.

The talk of the track now is that Cummings will try to do a Saintly with So You Think and aim for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup double, and Arnold doesn't doubt he could do it.

With Cummings still recuperating from a fractured pelvis, owner Dato Tan Chin Nam's racing manager Duncan Ramage said the legendary trainer planned for So You Think to run in the Underwood in preference to last week's Dato Tan Chin Nam.

Ramage said a Melbourne Cup start was "quite possible".

"But let's get the Cox Plate out of the way first."

So You Think has now won five of his eight starts with two seconds, his only unplaced effort being a fifth in last year's Caulfield Guineas.

Zavite ran another good race to finish fourth in front of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and New Zealander Red Ruler who improved sharply.

A brilliant front-running ride by Craig Williams helped lightly-raced mare Response to an emphatic Group One victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Having just her eighth start, 4-year-old Response racked up her third win when she beat No Evidence Needed with Queenslander Woorim third.

The Charge Forward mare reversed the placings from her last-start second to No Evidence Needed in the Let's Elope Stakes at Flemington on September 4.

Cambridge colt Mackadoo showed he was a serious Victoria Derby contender when he stuck on well to hold out the favourite Altius over 1700m.

Trained by Murray and Bjorn Baker , the son of High Chaparral was having just his fourth start and second in Australia.

Ridden by Michael Rodd, Mackadoo ($10) raced back off the leader Seventh Bullet before dashing clear in the straight to score by three-quarters of a length from topweight Altius ($2.10 fav) with Pitt Street ($6.50) a long neck away third.

"He's a bit fat at the moment but he's improved a lot in the last two weeks. We've been swimming him and really dishing it up to him," Murray Baker said.

The trainer said the colt missed a bit of work before running seventh to Hollowlea in the Henry Bucks Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 4.

The magnificently-bred colt Altius, by Redoute's Choice out of Circles Of Gold, the dam of Elvstroem and Haradasun, was game in defeat coming from last on the home turn for second and giving the winner a 3.5kg weight advantage.

The pair next clash in the UCI Stakes at Flemington on October 2 on the way to the $1.5 million Victoria Derby at Flemington on October 30.

- AAP