Trainer Aidan O’Brien took the blame after So You Think was beaten in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes by Godolphin’s Rewilding at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
So You Think was sent off the 4-11 favourite for the 2000m contest on account of his lofty reputation gained in Australia, where he accumulated two Cox Plates and finished third in the Melbourne Cup in November.
In a thrilling tussle down Ascot’s home straight, So You Think looked to have the race won but for a late and sustained surge by Rewilding, ridden by Frankie Dettori.
“It was more my fault that anyone else’s that he got beaten and all I can say is that I am sorry,” a deflated O’Brien said.
“I think I just didn’t have him fit enough.”
Rewilding’s victory was a fifth success for Godolphin in the Group One event, and Dettori’s third after the Italian rode Fantastic Light and Grandera to victory in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
“It is sheer joy to see two great horses battle it out like that,” Dettori said.
“Godolphin and Ballydoyle are two great teams and we put our life and soul into the job. This is what we are here for, to have these kind of great races.”
There was a massive sting in the tail for Dettori as he picked up a nine-day suspension for using his whip with excessive frequency on Rewilding.
The stewards found the Italian hit the winner 24 times inside the final two furlongs (400m) and he will now be sidelined from June 29-July 7 – missing the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the first day of the July meeting at Newmarket.
It is the second lengthy ban incurred by Dettori in the space of a few weeks after he was suspended for 10 days for not riding out to the line on Blue Bunting in the Oaks at Epsom, being narrowly denied third place as a result.
That first ban kicks in on Friday meaning he’ll miss the last two days of Royal Ascot.
Rewilding had enjoyed a layoff after winning the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, and for trainer Mahmood al Zarooni the rest was a crucial factor in his colt’s success.
Although it was Al Zarooni’s first win at the Royal meeting, he was quick to mention the involvement of owner Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, in the colt’s preparation.
“I have to be honest it is not me who has trained this horse, but Sheikh Mohammed,” he said.
“He always gives me instructions on how to deal with the horses, their training programs and how to feed them. It was the Sheikh who first told me that Rewilding should run fresh.”
AFP AAP TURF
