So You Think to begin Stud duties in Australia

International star So You Think has landed back in Australia to begin his first season at stud at Coolmore Australia Farm in the Hunter Valley alongside champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock.

So You Think

So You Think has returned to Australia to start stud duties - photo © Taron Clarke

So You Think, the winner of ten Group 1 races on both sides of the globe was accompanied on the plane from England by Coolmore’s shuttle stallions Zofany and Fastnet Rock who ended the 2011-2012 season as the leading sire for earnings and stakes winners.

Fastneck Rock will stand the new season at $220,000 after siring 130 winners earning $12.6m in prizemoney for the year.

“So You Think and the Coolmore stallions including Fastnet Rock, Zoffany, landed in Sydney last night,” Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said.

So You Think will stand his first season at $66,000 and Coolmore has provided the dual Cox Plate winner with a top shelf list of mares to kick off the next chapter of his magnificent career.

The draft of mares consists of multiple Group 1 winners and includes Crown Oaks winners Faith Perfume and Magical Miss, Queensland Derby winner Dariana, Queensland Oaks winner Eskimo Queen, and Coolmore Classic winner Danni Martine.

So You Think’s speed and stamina will also be matched up with the brilliant Golden Slipper winner Merlene, Group 1 winning mare Nova Star who took out the Winter Stakes over 1400m at Eagle Farm and Coolmore’s new acquisition Group1 winner Melito.

Cups King Bart Cummings nurtured So You Think through his early days, developing the stallion into one of the top weight for age horses Australia has seen, preparing him for back to back Group 1 $3m Tatts Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in 2009 and 2010m.

So You Think’s other Group 1s on Australian soil were the 2010 $350,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, $400,000 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield and the $1m LKS Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

After the 2010 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington when he finished third to Americain, the multiple Group 1 winner was transferred to the stables of champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle in Ireland.

The top Irish trainer want on to win another five Group 1 races in Ireland and England before retiring the stallion after winning the Group 1 £400,000 150th Anniversary Of Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (1 mile 2 furlongs) at Royal Ascot on June 20.

“So You Think is an extraordinary horse and it was a real privilege to have had him here at Ballydoyle on loan from Australia,” O’Brien said.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.