Everest hero Think About It dies, aged seven

Think About It, the 2023 Everest winner, has died aged seven after complications from colic surgery.

Proven Thoroughbreds, the managing owner of the multiple Group 1 winner, confirmed the news on Wednesday that the son of So You Think had died earlier this week.

“Proven Thoroughbreds is deeply saddened to announce that Think About It was euthanised yesterday due to complications arising from colic surgery,” its statement read.

“A once-in-a-lifetime horse, Think About It rose to stardom in the blink of an eye, progressing from a midweek BM72 to a pair of Group 1s and, of course, The Everest in a whirlwind 2023.”

A $70,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale purchase from the draft of Newgate Farm, Think About It went on to win 11 of his 19 starts and $12,163,050 in prize money for his ownership group and trainer Joe Pride.

He won his first two starts at Kembla Grange and Wyong in mid-2022, before returning in early 2023 to win four straight Sydney metropolitan races, culminating in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup.

After a let-up, he then won the Listed Takeover Target at Gosford before breaking through at Group 1 level in the Kingsford-Smith Cup, defeating previous elite winners Converge and Rothfire.

He then confirmed his status as Australia’s next big sprinting star with victory in the Stradbroke Handicap, again defeating Rothfire.

A win in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes set him up for a shot at The Everest, where he defeated I Wish I Win and Private Eye running in the slot of Newgate.

While he was to have five more career starts, he wasn’t able to add to his winning tally, and his racetrack career concluded in dramatic fashion on Everest day in 2024 when he collapsed during the running of the Sydney Stakes.

While his prospects appeared dire that day, he recovered.

“Where his story became truly remarkable was in the following year when he survived a massive pulmonary haemorrhage after falling in the Sydney Stakes at Randwick,” Proven said.

“He was swiftly retired after that scare and placed into the care of his regular jockey Sam Clipperton.

“Unfortunately, our horse affectionately known as ‘Spud’ was not able to cheat death twice. After initially coming through colic surgery successfully, Spud took a turn for the worse despite the efforts of the amazing team at Randwick Equine Centre.”

Proven, which is headed up by syndicator Jamie Walter, paid tribute to a horse that gave everything when out on the track.

“A high-energy horse, Think About It applied himself 110 per cent to everything he did, without a great deal of self-preservation,” the syndicator said.

“He tried his absolute guts out every time he raced and that is all any owner/fan/punter can ever ask for. Maybe he was supposed to ‘live fast, die young’.”

Bred by Greg and Donna Kolivos’ Lightning Thoroughbreds, Think About It was the highest earning of So You Think’s progeny and one of his 12 Group 1 winners.

He sits 13th on the all-time list of Australian prize money earners.

His dam, Tiare, a half-sister to Group 2 winner Keen Array, produced five foals,. Four of foals have raced and three of them have been winners.

Tiare died in 2023, with her final colt by Wootton Bassett selling for $900,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.