Former champion Australian racehorse So You Think stormed into favouritism to win the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after another emphatic victory in Ireland.
So You Think scored their maiden Group 1 victory in Europe on Monday night
Transferred to the care of leading Irish trainer Aiden O’Brien at the end of last year having previously been trained by the ‘Cups King’ Bart Cummings, dual Cox Plate winner So You Think has now scored their maiden Group 1 success in Europe.
Backing up from a blistering 10 length win on debut in Europe when the High Chaparral five-year-old thrashed a quality field in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes (2011m) at the start of the month, So You Think was effortless in scoring victory in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2112m) at The Curragh early on Monday morning, Australian time.
Following the flawless four and a half length Gold Cup win over Campanologist, So You Think is now the pronounced favourite to continue his dominant run in European over the months including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) in on the first Sunday of October.
First the superstar will tackle the riches of top class races including the Coral Eclipse Stakes (2018m) at Sandown Park in July and the King George VI Stakes at England’s iconic Ascot Racecourse on July 23.
O’Brien named the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes (2000m) on June 15 as So You Think’s next assignment.
“The Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot will be next,” O’Brien told Racing Post.
“That was always the plan if everything went well today.
“It was important for Ryan Moore (jockey) to sit on him in a race in case he might be able to ride him at Ascot.”
“He has the class and the speed of a Group 1 miler.
“He’s incredible – a different creature to what we’ve ever seen before and we’re just very lucky to have him racing on this side of the world this year.
“When you watch him work or in his races he always travels so easily and then you look at the horses around him and they’re flat out.”
Top English hoop Ryan Moore rode So You Think for the first time in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and was equally impressed with the performance.
“So You Think has a big, long stride that covers the same amount of ground most horses would take two strides to cover,” Moore said.
“He travelled very well and was impressive when I asked him to go on.”
With So You Think’s European campaign going from strength to strength, the stallion has now won six Group 1 features across two continents.
