SO YOU THINK has been described by trainer Aidan O'Brien as a "definite possible" for next Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs next month. Last seen finishing fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe this month, So You Think was clipped to 7-4 (from 9-4) by Paddy Power for the Champion Stakes, while the same firm inserted him as a 7-1 chance for the Classic. Speaking after saddling Crusade to win the Middle Mark Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, O'Brien said: "I would say he's a definite possible for the Qipco Champion Stakes at this stage. "The boys will decide later on, but if it were up to me he would run every week such is his constitution. He has come out of the Arc in unbelievable form." http://www.racingpost.com/news/hors...mpion-classic-double-bid/928713/championsday/
7/4 for the Champion stakes, are they having a laugh. Nathaniel is the best horse in the race, and that's where my money will be going. I even feel Twice Over could prove to good for SYT aswell. He seems to have refound his form after winning the Juddmonte, and I expect another strong performance from him also. A win for Twice Over could hand the trainers title to Henry Cecil, as long as Frankel does what is expected in the QE2
Problem for me Shergar is that Nathaniel looks an out and out mile and a half horse. 10f is well on the sharp side and for that reason I would be prepared to take him on. Love the horse though. Dubai Prince would be my selection if he does indeed run.
Those thinking about backing Nathaniel for the Champion Stakes should take a look at the five-day weather forecast. They may not be getting much in the way of rain in Berkshire this week, so Nathaniel may well be scratched - so don't rush in ante-post unless it is non-runner no bet. They wouldn't pay the Eur100, 000 for the Arc and the dead ground at Longchamp may be softer than Champions' Day offers. I won't be rushing for So You Think either as there are still more questions than answers with the supposed wonder horse.
So You Think may be somewhat enigmatic (he's not a wonder horse, we all know this, wonder horses come around rarely anyway, and excessive hype is always going to cause trouble down the line) but if Nathaniel didn't run (or if conditions were against him), looking at the possible field, So You Think would have a decent chance.
I have to agree with Shergs on this one.I wouldn't touch SYT at 9-4 in this field after running in the ARC.Im not saying it couldn't win but there is better value elsewhere.
Surely anyone who is convinced that SYT can't win the race will be overjoyed if he runs? As likely short-priced favourite his presence will mean everything else in the betting lengthens?
I recall reading in the Racing Post that for Sir Henry to collect the trainers’ title he needs Frankel to win and he needs Twice Over and Midday to be the first two in the Champion Stakes and he needs Richard Hannon not to win any of the other races.
to me so you think is the most likely winner.he always seems to run to the same level of form imo.,especially over 9 and 10f on good or fast going.what rival is going to have conditions to suit at the same level of form as so you think midday?? twice now she as tackled males and twice lost.track unknown.as lost to curragh which is righthanded galloping with a stiff finish and similar length run-in to ascot. nathaniel?? loves ascot but on going describes as gdsf 7.3 or less both times and currently 9.1 gdfm at present with mainly dry week bar few light showers upto tuesday.hes dropping in trip on faster going and that as to be the real concern cirrus des angles ? interesting horse but constantly failing at top level.i rate him highly but he seems one of those that loves to dominate inferior rivals and gets a bit of a shock when a group 1 type challenges him.got a feeling he will love the course though as he can quicken well around bends with similar shortish straights like ascot.he also seems to thrive on racing. twice over.well beaten by syt but didnt run anywhere near to form so cant use that.cant ignore a 4 time gp1 winner at all,but although hes won 4 gp1's he lost also 3 times that amount of them and as always lost straight after a gp1 win.hasnt won at ascot in 4 goes maybe track as most wins and top wins have come with long run-ins if around a turn..a line through sri putra ,who seems best in the summer months with good or faster going means he as it to find with so you think. await the dawn - aint sure if he runs but ,again like nathaniel drops back from a impressive 1m4f slow surface win,but as tried the drop back in trip and couldnt quicken .sick horse after i know but as no turn of foot over 10f on quck ground snow fairy dont think will run as same far east races were mentioned after the arc. green destiny.experience will do him good.haggas said only a month or so back he may think righthanded tracks explain his poor runs.as well as that short run-in tracks may also be the answer to those poor runs,either way, facing group 1 horses for the first time you need everything in your favour i think and a righthanded track with a short run-in as brought on poorer runs at a lesser level! dubai price - interesting but inexperienced.may turn out to be group 1 later on in his career but surely too soon now?
I hope So You Think runs because he will make the market for those that want to oppose him. Midday’s much-quoted inability to beat the boys would not put me off her. It will be interesting to see if Queally picks her or Twice Over. I think Nathaniel is unlikely to run. They should have gone to Longchamp as it is hard to see him running again this year if they insist on waiting for soft ground. Ascot will not put 10mm on the track on Thursday like the French did. Twice Over is on a race hat-trick but Ascot is not Newmarket. As was stated in the article in Sunday’s Racing Post, his two wins at York will have bolstered his confidence so he is a live contender. He has not been out of the first two all year but Cirrus Des Aigles has been defeated by Sarafina, Goldikova and Byword so I expect that he will find another one too good at the highest level. It is hard to see them running Await The Dawn unless they want a better pacemaker than Windsor Palace! I would not entirely write off Snow Fairy putting in an appearance if the ground stays dry but they could have a jockey conundrum if Ryan Moore rides for Ballydoyle and Frankie is claimed by Godolphin.
Tom Queally doesn't have the choice of which HC horse he rides, HC has already said Queally rides Midday and Mongan rides Twice Over same as York. There is a thing in the RP that Await The Dawn is a runner, that does suprise me, as its very close to the BC classic, and unlike SYT, he hasn't proved he can recover from races quickly, and run to form with only a 2 week rest between runs
Been a while since I've posted on here. Travelling the 500 miles to see the racing on Saturday and like Shergar I won't be touching So You Think. I don't think there is a great deal between a few of these horses. Snow Fairy, So You Think, Midday, Twice Over and Nathaniel. You could make an argument for a few but I think it will be a Cecil horse that wins. I'm not knocking Nathaniel but I'm still not convincedas yet. St Nicholas Abbey has been fairly consistent through the summer and may help solve this puzzle
I still think So You Think is the rightful favourite. Ran well in the Arc despite the obvious disappointment of him not winning, and 10f is his optimum trip. He's not a wonder horse, but he is a bloody good 10f horse. I think Midday is dangerous back to 10f. Still think Dubai Prince might be your answer to solve the problem.
So You Think no longer in Ladbrokes betting for the Breeders Cup Classic. Also a decent amount of money available offering 10s on Betfair, does this mean he is scratched from that race?
We will probably hear in a day or two - when they have come up with an excuse for his run in the Champion Stakes
Entries for Breeders Cup aren't due for another week or so, so technically he can't be scratched as he hasn't been entered yet! The thing is he is too late for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season so who knows whether they'll retire him for the 2012 Northern Season, or plot an early campaign next year before sending him off for 2012/13 SH season. I honestly can't see that they'll wait until the 2013/14 season before sending him south, it will have been a very long time since his last Australian run and they run the risk of breeders forgetting about him.
Whilst I got that right, the question should now be is a horse rated approximately 128 good enough to go to America and beat the home team on dirt? Not being a follower of the US racing scene, how good are this season’s top dirt exponents? So You Think might be good enough to beat them if he can adapt. It is not like there will be any horse rated ten pounds better than him as the World’s top-rated horse is a miler and the second top-rated is a sprinter. Janabelle13, he didn’t win the Champion Stakes because that Belgian geezer on the winner cheated. Or maybe they went too quickly. O’Brien won’t have been on the mobile for long getting that one. Hands up, I got that one wrong!
