One of the most daring but calculated rides in a major Australian race has delivered an unexpected result as Think It Over claimed the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
In a gamble that paid off in spectacular style, jockey Nash Rawiller took Think It Over to the outside fence in the Randwick straight to make a solo bid for victory in the premier weight-for-age contest of the Sydney autumn carnival.
It was a move designed to counter Think It Over's ineffectiveness in saturated going as Rawiller turned his mount sideways at the 300m in search of better going.
And it worked out just how Rawiller thought it might as Think It Over, ignored as a $41 chance, regathered his momentum under improved footing to beat Zaaki ($5) by a half length.
Another outsider, Mount Popa ($61), took the minor placing as race heavyweights such as the $3.80 favourite Verry Elleegant and the top-class colt Anamoe ($4) finished among the also-rans.
Rawiller said his bold decision to navigate an unorthodox path was made as soon as Zaaki drifted to the centre of the track and took his mount with him.
"When I straightened up I was that close (to the outside) it was worth a go," he told the Seven Network.
Rawiller said the part of the course he found was more usually a lot more compact than other areas because it was often used by racecourse maintenance machinery.
"For my bloke it was like going from a heavy (track) to a slow (one) which he can handle and when he can handle a track he is a very good horse," the jockey said.
Rawiller is a veteran of the Australian jockey ranks and hails from the same generation as Damien Oliver, the decorated Melbourne rider who created his own special moment at Randwick.
Oliver became Australia's greatest Group One-winning jockey when Nimalee saluted in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
He took his tally to 127 major wins to go past the legendary George Moore in a career in the saddle than spans three decades.
In other Group One races on the second day of The Championships, Melbourne filly El Patroness gave nothing else a chance with a commanding win in the ATC Australian Oaks.
Racing close to the lead, El Patroness worked her way to the front on turn under jockey Damian Lane before running away with the blue-riband staying test for three-year-old fillies.
In the Sydney Cup, Rachel King rated Knights Order with precision over 3200m to land the second Group One win of her career.
King rode Knights Order with supreme confidence from the front and the stayer, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, responded to fend off Sheraz for a clear-cut win.
