‘Too relaxed’ So You Think blinkered to help his focus

Winner of three Group Ones since moving to O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables in Ireland, So You Think has met with defeat in his last two races, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

But O’Brien believes he could run a huge race at Churchill Downs, if he adapts to the dirt surface, in a race where he will be the only European challenger.

“The reason he is wearing blinkers is because of the way he has run in his last three starts, especially when he won the Irish Champion Stakes when he appeared just to do enough at the end,” said O’Brien.

“We saw in Leopardstown that he was going to the front and waiting and he was just too relaxed. He was drawn badly in the Arc and it was hard for Seamus (Heffernan) to keep him from getting too far back. Otherwise he might have been closer.

“Then he ran a great race at Ascot but the strange thing was, when he got home he hadn’t lost a single kilo. We think he is overdoing the relaxing bit now.

“We put blinkers on him the other day and Joseph (O’Brien) rode him in a canter and he said the horse felt more attentive with them on.

“If he handles the surface the blinkers might make a big difference at the end.”

The action at Churchill Downs gets underway with a ten-race card today, when Announce bids to continue her owner’s fine record in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Her owner, Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms operation, has been successful three times through Midday (2009), Intercontinental (2005) and Banks Hill (2001). And now the Andre Fabre-trained Announce goes for glory in the Grade One over 11 furlongs.

She registered a victory at the highest level in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August and was only beaten a nose by Nahrain in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp last month.

“She started the year off pretty well, but then just lost her way a little in the summer,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager. “Andre (Fabre) gave her a break and brought her back for the Romanet in which she picked up Timepiece very well in the final furlong. She ran a super race last time out and she’s progressive so I’m hoping there’s a bit more to come.”

Misty For Me’s wide draw in stall 12 is of concern to Aidan O’Brien, but the Irish trainer is still hopeful of a good run from the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner, especially if ground conditions suit. “She is drawn a little bit wider than ideal, but she is in good form and any of the forecast rain will suit her,” he said.

Meanwhile, connections of Frankel have raised hopes the brilliant colt could grace next year’s Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita.

A programme for the first half of next year has been mapped out for the Abdullah-owned, Sir Henry Cecil-trained superstar. And, if it goes well, a trip to California next autumn could be on the cards as interest in Frankel across the Atlantic has caught Grimthorpe by surprise. The horse is named after legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel, who died two years ago.

“He’s come out of the QEII very well indeed and I’m finding the interest in him over here just unbelievable,” said Grimthorpe.

“I was in Canada the other day and couldn’t believe how many people came up to me and asked me about this horse. I think it’s because of his name and what Bobby meant to people in the United States. In a perfect world he will finish up at Santa Anita next year and it would make sense to go for the Lockinge, followed by either the Queen Anne, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes or even maybe the Prix d’Ispahan.

“We will see how we go after then.”