THE AUSTRALIAN superstar So You Think will attempt a first Group One success in Europe when he lines up in Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup as part of Aidan O’Brien’s attempt on another Curragh Guineas festival hat-trick.
Ireland’s champion trainer won the Abu Dhabi 2,000 Guineas, the Etihad Airways 1,000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Gold Cup in a memorable Group One blitz in 2008 and will be heavily represented in all three top-flight races again this weekend.
The Newmarket Guineas runner-up Together and Wild Wind, third to Golden Lilac in last Sunday’s French 1,000, are among five entries O’Brien has in Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas after a total of 16 fillies were left in the race at yesterday’s forfeit stage. Together found only Blue Bunting too good for her at Newmarket and she is a 3 to 1 favourite in some lists to go one better at the Curragh. The Aga Khan’s Athasi winner, Emiyna, tops other ante-post betting lists.
There are very different prices available in the Tattersalls with So You Think having been installed a 1 to 3 favourite to add to his impressive 10-length Mooresbridge Stakes victory at HQ earlier in the month. Just 10 remain in the €210,000 event including five others from O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard. Campanologist has been left in by Godolphin and the former Irish Leger runner-up Clowance is also in the 10-furlong highlight.
O’Brien has won the race four times previously including with Fame And Glory last year but hopes of an early-season clash between So You Think and the 2010 Derby and Arc hero Workforce have been dashed with the latter possibly reappearing in Sandown’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes later in the month.
The popular Group One hope on Sunday will be Ballybacka Lady who gives her Co Carlow trainer Pat Fahy a first crack at a Classic after her 33 to 1 trial success at Leopardstown. She is a 16 to 1 shot to win the 1,000 Guineas this weekend.
“Ballybacka Lady will run as long as the ground is not too soft,” Fahy said yesterday. “She’s done well since Leopardstown having been eased off with a view to freshening her up and she was very fresh on the gallops this morning. She just went five furlongs, not real work but a little breeze out.
“I don’t know if Fran (Berry) will ride again – it depends if the ground is very quick and if Laughing Lashes runs then he rides her so I will then have to look for another jockey.
“It’s amazing having a horse going into a race like this – very different anyway. I had a filly who used to run in Group races but she wasn’t good enough to win or even go close. Myself and the owners (Mrs Corcoran) are so lucky. If the ground is suitable for her and with the form that she is in, she’ll be bang there at the end,” he added.
Jim Bolger’s prolific winner Banimpire had her form boosted by Wild Wind in France while Kevin Prendergast has the trio of Handassa, Seeharn and Rose Bonheur to pick from. Mick Channon’s Majestic Dubawi is the sole cross-channel possible. Watering began at the Curragh yesterday where ground conditions were officially “good to firm.”
