Racing: So You Think stamps his mark on $100k feature

Hugh Bowman climbed off Winx after winning Saturday's A$600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick and declared the rising champ the best he's ridden.

"And that's a huge statement when you've won races on So You Think." A couple of hours earlier So You Think added a further level to his already stellar standing by siring maiden filly Gold Rush to win the $100,000 Matamata Breeders Stakes.

So You Think was an absolute freak racetrack performer when trained by Bart Cummings and later by Aiden O'Brien in the Northern Hemisphere and his performance in the stallion barn has been eagerly awaited.

If Gold Rush is any indication, his stock will have similar tenacity to the old man.

"She jumped well, but was off the bit a fair way out and I was concerned. To her credit she really fought hard," said rider Craig Grylls. In a gritty finish Gold Rush just managed to hold out a game favourite Sassy 'N' Smart, who was slow out from her wide gate and had to cover plenty of extra ground looping the field on the home bend.

There had been some level of confidence in the camp after Gold Rush, at just her second start, finished an excellent second to talented colt Mongolian Falcon.

"The form in that race was very strong and she came into this race with a nice barrier," said Andrew Scott, who trains Gold Rush in partnership with Lance O'Sullivan.

" ... the further she goes the better she will be." South Island filly What Choux Want finished a game third.

A decision not to press forward with an Oaks preparation for Lauberhorn looked on the money when the filly proved too strong in the Rich Hill 3YO.

"I think she's better at 1400m-1600m said Richardson and that was difficult to argue with after Lauberhorn led for the last half of the 1400m journey.