So You Think Entered for Dubai World
Cup
The Dubai World Cup received a
significant boost this weekend with the announcement by Aidan O’Brien
that his So You Think will be entered for the world’s richest race at
Meydan on March 31st.
The globe-trotting 6 year old
will be racing in his fifth country within 15 months, when he takes on
the highly select field over his optimum distance of ten furlongs and he
has already been installed as the 7/2 antepost favourite in the
Dubai World Cup odds to win
the race. As most know, the horse is considered to be a super star in
his home country of Australia and was sent to Ballydoyle 12 months ago
with a number of Group 1 targets in mind for his connections, these
included the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He had already won the
prestigious Group 1 Cox Plate twice "Down Under" and finished third in
the Melbourne Cup when carrying an almost impossible weight.
His first big test in Europe
came in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh which he won easy, but
he was then to be defeated by the late lamented Rewilding in the Prince
of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot, a defeat that for the first time raised
doubts about his ‘superstar’ status.
However, he redressed the
situation with victory in the Coral Eclipse Stakes last July where he
had 2010 ‘Arc de Triomphe’ winner, Workforce in behind. He then followed
that up with a win the Irish Champion Stakes, defeating dual Oaks winner
Snow Fairy and looked set to enjoy a big run in the ‘Arc’.
Unfortunately, as is often the
case with the Arc, three year olds and fillies are treated far more
leniently than the colts with the weights and although So You Think was
the first colt home in the race, he could only manage 4th with three
better weighted fillies ahead of him.
Defeat also came in his next
outing, the Champion Stakes, where he had the French entry Cirrus Des
Aigles ¾ length in front.
His final race which for many
was definitely one race too many came in the Breeders Cup Classic where
he went off as the co-favourite of three but despite running a great
race could only manage sixth place in what was a very close affair. It
should be remembered that winning the ‘Classic’ was an almost impossible
task from the outset. He first of all had to make a long journey to the
‘States’, just two weeks after his Champion Stakes effort, he then had
to run for the first time on dirt against some of the very best Group 1
horses in the world.
It is clear that connections
still have high hopes for the colt although his immediate racing future
will not be decided until it is known how he comes out of his run at
Meydan.
The latest antepost betting for the Dubai World Cup:
7-2 So You
Think, 6-1 Smart Falcon, 8 Game On Dude, Royal Delta, 10 Animal Kingdom,
Bold Silvano, Master Of Hounds, 12 Beaten Up, Tosen Jordan, 14 Twice
Over, 16 Dubai Prince, Green Destiny, Transcend, 20 Planteur
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