Thought Of That stamps Derby credentials

Thought Of That has underlined his Victoria Derby claims in winning the Caulfield Classic (2000m).

Promising colt Thought Of That has backed up a big-margin win in the bush with another dominant display in the Group Three Caulfield Classic to enhance his Victoria Derby prospects.

Coming off a recent eight-length win in a Donald maiden over 1600m when blinkers were applied for the first time, Thought Of That faced a stiffer test on Saturday but the colt controlled the 2000m race from the front under Linda Meech.

Thought Of That’s 3-3/4-length victory prompted the TAB to tighten the colt’s Victoria Derby quote from $11 to $4 behind only Group One Spring Champion Stakes winner Shadow Hero ($2.30).

The $2 million Group One Victoria Derby for three-year-olds is at Flemington on November 2.

“And I’m sure he’ll improve again off that run,” co-trainer Ciaron Maher said.

“He obviously did it pretty easily today.

“It was a beautiful ride by Linda. She rolled along early and made her intentions felt to the rest of the field and then just slowed them up nicely.”

Maher said Meech was able to get a near 13-second 200m sectional on Thought Of That ($4.20) mid-race before the colt was able to skip away after straightening.

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Super Impose Stakes winner Warning ($4.20) ran home for second, two lengths ahead of third-placed Brilliant Venture ($31).

“Linda’s a very good rider all round, but she just seems to rate them very well in front,” Maher said.

“The horse is going super. We raised the bar for him today but the timing was right.

“He obviously put the writing on the wall at Donald. We put the shades on him there. He’s a colt and just needed that bit of focus.

“He’s similar to Set Square a little bit. She won a maiden over a mile (during the 2014 spring) then we raised the bar for her here at Caulfield in the Ethereal Stakes and then she went on to win the Oaks.

“It’s a similar path.”

Polanski in 2013 is the most recent to win the Caulfield Classic (formerly Norman Robinson Stakes) and go on to claim the Victoria Derby.

Meech is confident the improving colt, who has now won two of his seven starts, will handle the distance rise to 2500m in the Derby.

“He won’t have a problem with it,” Meech said.