Matthew Dunn believes lightly raced three-year-old Silent Thinker has the potential to develop into a Saturday-class horse in time, but for now, small fish are sweet.
The gelding will line up for his third start in the Barrier Reef Pools Handicap (1350m) at Ipswich on Friday chasing successive wins after breaking his maiden with an all-the-way victory at the course earlier this month.
It followed a debut third at the Gold Coast, and just as the horse learned from his first run to his second, Dunn said he had made further improvement since then.
“We had to ride him really aggressively last start from a bad barrier and it’s probably not the way to ride him. He’s drawn a bit better on Friday,” Dunn said.
“I think he’s a decent horse. He’s got a good future, and he’ll get out over a bit further yet.
“If he can get up to a mile, which I think he will, he’s a Saturday horse for sure. His pedigree suggests he will.”
By proven stallion So You Think out of a Fusaichi Pegasus mare, Silent Thinker was purchased for $50,000 via Inglis’ December online sale.
Ben Thompson partnered him last start and again has the ride, and Dunn expects Silent Thinker to prove the testing material.
“He’s doing a good job, and he will be hard to beat again. He was good last start,” he said.
Chris and Corey Munce have an interesting runner in the race in former Sydney galloper Exceed Perfection.
The five-year-old, who will be making his debut for the stable, only has one win from 23 starts, but has notched 10 minor placings and been a consistent performer on the NSW provincial circuit.
He gets in nicely at the weights after the two kilo claim of apprentice Courtney Bellamy, albeit he has a tricky draw in barrier 13.
