O’Brien hopes for Champion display from So You Think
The Australian import came from way back to finish fourth in the Longchamp showpiece just a fortnight ago and his trainer has been happy enough with him since to let him line up at the inaugural Champions Day in Berkshire.
Defeat in France was his second from six starts since arriving in Europe, but the master of Ballydoyle remains convinced he is a horse of the highest order.
“He was a great horse before we got him and he has shown he still is,” O’Brien told At The Races.
“We were happy with him the last day and the Arc was only a couple of weeks ago, but we’re happy with him.
“The Arc was one of those strange races and the horses that were on the pace stayed on the pace.
“We thought he ran a great race on the day and it was his first run over a mile and a half.
“He was drawn badly and Seamus (Heffernan) had to give him a chance and that is what he did.
“Because of where he was drawn he probably ended up a bit further away than ideally he would have wanted, but for the benefit of the horse long-term, he had to do that.
“He relaxed and travelled through the race and quickened well up the straight - he just didn’t get to the leaders.
“The horse had a good experience and seems well since. If we ever had to go back over a mile and a half again, it wouldn’t worry us.
“He’s coming back to a mile and a quarter and he ran a stormer in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes in Ascot .
“He has a great constitution and an unbelievable capacity for work.
“He’s an unbelievable cruiser and has a very economical way of going. We’re looking forward to seeing him run.”
