THE AUSTRALIAN runner So You Think has already made a big impression in his two Irish starts for Aidan O’Brien and the official handicapper reckons he is only going to get better.
The five-time Australian Group One winner is being targeted at Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales’ Stakes next month after easily scoring at prohibitive 1 to 7 odds in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh two days ago.
Despite that success, and another Curragh victory in the Mooresbridge Stakes earlier in the month, So You Think’s international federation of handicappers rating remains 126.
However, Ireland’s senior flat handicapper, Garry O’Gorman, said yesterday: “I think he could go over 130 given the right conditions and against better opposition. I think it will take a good one to topple this fella this year and I’m not sure that it will happen.”
Workforce is a top-rated European middle-distance performer having reached a 128 mark for winning the Derby and the Arc last year.
He could reappear at Sandown later this week and there is already much anticipation of a clash between the two later this year.
“It’s going to be an interesting year. So You Think was a 126 last year, and even though he was beaten in the Melbourne Cup he actually reached a mark of 123 there which made him the top stayer in the world, even though it was only his class that got him into third.
“It can be dangerous to rate Group One horses against inferior opposition in Group Three class like in the Mooresbridge, but personally I think he will go higher than 126 this year,” O’Gorman said.
Aidan O’Brien has already described So You Think as “an incredible specimen”, but the champion trainer’s focus in the next few weeks will be on the classics, with a sweep that could reach across the Atlantic.
Recital and Seville appear to lead the Ballydoyle contenders for the Epsom Derby on Saturday week, while the day before that Wonder Of Wonders and Misty For Me are in line to tackle the Oaks.
Roderic O’Connor could lead the O’Brien team as he pursues a first French Derby victory at Chantilly on Sunday week, and the trainer’s classic ambitions may not end there.
Master Of Hounds, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, remains a possible for the final leg of the US Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, on June 11th, where he could again face the Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, and Shackleford, who landed last weekend’s Preakness at Pimlico.
O’Brien’s likely running arrangements for Epsom are likely to become clearer later this week.
