So You Think (NZ) Chasing European Ascendancy

So You Think (NZ) Chasing European Ascendancy

New Zealand bred So You Think will be looking to write another page of New Zealand's rich thoroughbred history as he heads to the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes (2000m) at Royal Ascot on Thursday morning.

In a race that is touted as one of the most prestigious middle distance races in the world, So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral x Triassic) will be looking to cement a hat-trick of Group wins on the Irish and English turf. He is also looking to become the first New Zealand bred horse to win a Group 1 race at Royal Ascot.

Coming off the back of a scintillating performance in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at his last start, English bookmakers are taking no risks with the dual Cox Plate winning son of High Chaparral, quoting odds of 1/2, and as short as 4/9 for the Group 1 race, where he has drawn barrier number four.

In a further display of authority, Monday's race declarations saw another four horses withdrawn from the field with Await The Dawn, Cape Blanco, Ransom Note and Sea Lord all ducking out in favour of other targets.

So You Think (NZ) wins his Irish debut at the Curragh
With a field of only seven runners, it appears the Elie Lellouche trained Planteur (Danehill Dancer) poses the biggest threat to So You Think. Showing odds of 4-1 on the tote, Planteur had a somewhat disappointing end to last season, running out of the placings in the Prix De L'Arc de Triomphe and the Hong Kong Cup after a string of Group 1 seconds in France.

This season has seen the son of Danehill Dancer come back in top form winning the Group 2 Prix D'Harcourt (2000m) fresh up before taking the Group 1 Prix Air Mauritius (1700m) at Longchamp at his last start.

The Sir Henry Cecil trained Twice Over (Observatory) is next in the market, showing generous odds of 10-1. The six-year-old ran second in the Prince of Wales's Stakes last year to Byword (Peintre Celebre) before winning the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes (2000m) at Sandown at his next start.

Twice Over made a successful return to the track in Dubai in March winning the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge (2000m) fresh up before turning in a disappointing performance in the Dubai World Cup.

The winner of nine of his 21 starts and over £1.4 million, Twice Over is a triple Group 1 winner over 2000 metres and can be forgiven for his last start sixth in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes which saw him come back to a mile.

Never to be discounted, the famous Godolphin Stable will be represented with Rewilding (Tiger Hill) who has not been seen on the track since beating Redwood (High Chaparral) in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2400m). The winner of four of his eight starts, Rewilding is quoted at odds of 12-1.

Other horses in the market include Jan Vermeer (Montjeu) at 40-1, Debussy (Diesis) at 66-1 and Sri Putra (Oasis Dream) also at 66-1.

So You Think will be ridden by jockey Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, the same jockey that rode him to victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

The Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes will be run at 3.45pm English time, 2.45am NZ time on Trackside TV. To view the field and the odds for the race, click here.

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