Shaune Ritchie’s end of holiday blues were quickly overcome at Tauranga where his diminutive filly Global Thinking stood tall on Saturday at the expense of her fellow three-year-olds.
The Cambridge horseman only returned from a family vacation in Samoa late on Friday night and the daughter of So You Think presented him with a tidy welcome home present when she won the Gartshore 1200m.
“We elected to ride her cold today, we’ve probably been riding her upside down and closer to the pace when chasing Prom Queen and she’s not in her grade,” Ritchie said.Global Thinking was subsequently pulled out of the upcoming Gr.1 gavelhouse New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, but she’s still in line for a trip to the South Island.
“I see her as a filly that might be really suited to the Dunedin, Gore and Southland Guineas after Christmas,” Ritchie said. “It looks the perfect scenario for her, I’d expect her to be very competitive in those sorts of races.“The travel wouldn’t worry her, she’s got a sweetheart of a nature and while she’s small, she tries very hard.
“She’s quite well-bred and they’re only three once so some black type would serve her very well for later on.”Out of a General Nediym mare, Global Thinking settled at the back of the small field at Tauranga before finishing generously under rider Mark Du Plessis to claim the second win of her eight-start career.
“We got a lovely run and got the last dash at them,” he said.Global Thinking nabbed The Great Southern on the line to score by a nose with the pacemaker Bombard three lengths back in third.
The favourite Power Dream raced outside of the leader, but she had little to offer in the run to the post and beat only one home.
