RACING:SO YOU THINK has been retired to stand at stud in Australia after lameness ruled him out of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown tomorrow.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained six-year-old would have been aiming to land back-to-back renewals of the Group One contest over a mile and a quarter, which was due to be his final run before returning to his native Australia.
So You Think had been in outstanding form this season with consecutive Group One victories in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
O'Brien told www.coolmore.com: "So You Think is an extraordinary horse and it was a real privilege to have had him here at Ballydoyle on loan from Australia."
Formerly trained in Australia by the legendary Bart Cummings, for whom he won two Cox Plates, the giant So You Think moved to O’Brien’s Tipperary base after Coolmore bought a controlling interest. He was to add five Group One success to his CV under O’Brien’s care, to go with the five he claimed Down Under.
Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said: “It’s a big disappointment that he’ll miss the Eclipse, but he’s had a wonderful racing career and now it’s time for him to shine at stud.
“His book reads like a who’s who of all the best mares and breeders so he’ll get the best possible start.”
Following last month’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes win, O’Brien gave a frank assessment of the horse’s career since arriving in Ireland, blaming himself for some of his defeats.
O’Brien said after the Ascot win: “I think we’ve had him a year and a half and it’s taken me that long to learn how to train him. We were working him too long, too hard and too often. It was as simple as that.
“We went back and listened to what everybody was saying about him, listened to what Bart was saying and telling us what to do and what not to do. We listened at the end. We felt he was in a place today he’s never been in before.
“In Australia it’s all about speed, I was probably over-working the horse and galloping the speed out of him instead of letting him be natural.
“We’re just delighted to get him back and all I can say is sorry it took me so long to get him back to where everyone in Australia said he was. If he wasn’t such a great horse I’d have made a right mess of him.”
Frankie Dettori’s mount Farrh has been installed as favourite with the sponsors for the Coral-Eclipse after the defection of So You Think.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Farrh finished third behind So You Think in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, and was considered by many to be an unlucky loser as he met trouble in-running.
The Group One feature, which has attracted 10 runners, also sees the return to the track of Dante Stakes scorer Bonfire, who was disappointing in the Epsom Derby, and Godolphin’s Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso.
Coral-Eclipse, sponsors bet: 9-4 Farrh, 3-1 Nathaniel, 11-2 Cityscape, 6 -1 Bonfire, 10-1 Crackerjack King, 12-1 Monterosso, 14-1 Twice Over, 25-1 Cogito, 33-1 City Style, 40-1 Sri Putra.
