So You Think and Joseph O'Brien © Photo Healy Racing
Champion Trainer Aidan O'Brien speaks about So You Think in ways he rarely speaks about other horses and the star horse took his curtain call in Ireland with a ninth career Group 1 win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh today.
Ridden by O'Brien's son Joseph O'Brien, the ex-Australian star had little difficulty following up last year's win in the race when justifying 2/11 favouritism, stretching clear in the straight for an easy six lengths win over Famous Name After the win, O'Brien Snr said “we're probably only really getting to know So You Think now and do the right things with him. He had a good break after Dubai and Joseph was very happy with him.
“What is amazing about this horse is that his mane and tail grow twice as quick as any other horse, so if you were to be pulling his mane, you would only be annoying him! If you look at the length his forelock grows, it is very unusual - he has that wild look about him!
“Today is the last time to run in Ireland but for us he has been an amazing horse. To have him and to train him has been an unbelievable experience. He owns the whole place at home and is big and bold but is also obedient. He has that super presence."
A reconciliation, of sorts, may well happen later in the year when So You Think is set to take up stallion duties in his former trainer Bart Cummings' native Australia.
O'Brien added “I'd imagine he'll go to Royal Ascot, for either the Prince of Wales or the Queen Anne Stakes. If he is going back to Australia, the Eclipse Stakes is the only other race he could get in, after that he would have to go into quarantine were he to go back to Stud duties over there.”
