Aidan O'Brien admits the ablity to handle the surface is the only question mark hanging over So You Think heading into the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Ex-Aussie star has plenty in his favour heading to America
Aidan O'Brien admits the ablity to handle the surface is the only question mark hanging over So You Think heading into the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The two-time Cox Plate winner in Australia has been a model of consistency in Europe this season and the trainer feels he ticks plenty of boxes going into the Churchill Downs feature.
"We think he's a great traveller through his races, he's tactically sharp and he's a very mature, seasoned horse," the trainer told
Racing UK.
"We've always thought the world of this horse, he was a very good horse before he joined us and what makes him unique is his high cruising speed. Horses like that, the better the race, the better they are. We think he has the attributes you need for the Classic - a good cruising speed, he's tactically quick, he's brave but we don't know about the dirt because he hasn't run on it before."
Bouncing back
So You Think heads to America off the back of three quick runs in the Irish Champion Stakes, Arc and QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot.
"He has an amazing constitution and has an amazing appetite for work. He had a couple of months off in the summer with the autumn campaign in mind. Very few horses can back up in big races like this but he came back from Ascot and never lost a kilo which shows you the constitution he has," O'Brien added.
The master of Ballydoyle isn't concerned about So You Think being left at the gates on Saturday week, despite it being the fate of a number of his horses at the meeting in recent years.
"In all his European races you hope he's going to be a little slowly away because he hits the gates so fast and is naturally so quick. Giant's Causeway was like that, a natural," O'Brien said.
"Ryan (Moore) will decide on tactics, it will depend on how we break but usually he has plenty of pace and you'd hope he could get a nice position and a nice smooth run."
