Rewilding defeats So You Think in stunning finish

Report: Royal Ascot, Wednesday

Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) 4yo+, 1m2f

REWILDING rewrote the So You Think script by defeating the Australian superstar with a relentless and tireless drive down the straight.

So You Think blitzed clear of his rivals in a stunning display of pace and power at the turn to the straight, but he was reeled in by the indefatigable Rewilding, ridden by Frankie Dettori, who overhauled the favourite in the final strides.

Dettori rose high in his saddle to salute the Ascot grandstand butamong those cheering loudest for him will have been the bookies, who had sent off the Aidan O'Brien-trained favourite at 4-11.

In the six months since So You Think arrived from Australia, where he was the outstanding middle-distance competitor, the five-year-old had been represented as a wonderhorse - an impression bolstered in two easy victories this term in Ireland.

Yet in the first true test of his European career So You Think narrowly failed to defy last year's Derby third Rewilding, whose greater stores of stamina proved decisive in the shadow of the winning post.

Simon Crisford, racing manager to winning owners Godolphin, said Ballydoyle's decision to deploy Jan Vermeer as a pacemaker handed their horse the advantage.

“It’s huge. It’s fantastic. They played into our hands because the pace was so strong which is what our horse needs. He takes a while to get into his rhythm and that’s why Frankie gets on so well with him," he said, adding the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained winner will be aimed at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes back at Ascot next month.

William Hill cut the winner to 7-2 from 12-1 for that contest.

So You Think-trainer O'Brien blamed himself for failing to bring his charge to Royal Ascot adequately primed.

“It was trainer error. He had a long blow after the race and I don’t think I had him fit enough," he said.

"He came there to win his race but was then nailed by a horse who stays a mile and a half.”

Stamina, not necessarily class, did seem to play a pivotal role in the race. Jan Vermeer set a blistering pace up-front and there was no let-up of the pace when So You Think took up the running onthe turn to home.

Yet while other competitors, including Twice Over and Planteur, struggled to close on So You Think the winner came gamely out the pack in hot pursuit.

Reminicsent of Frankel's display in Tuesday'sSt James's Palace Stakes, So You Think - as unquestionably good as he is - began to perceptibly tire or idle in the closing stages.

Unlike in Frankel's race, however, the line came too late to save this odds-on favourite.

“The second never gave up," summed up Dettori, who was banned for nine days for using the whip with excessive frequency.

"It was a tremendous battle with two great horses. When I got past him it was a sheer joy. When you see two great horses battle it out like this it’s a sheer joy to be in a race like this.

“Rewilding doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. He’s a very good horse and he showed his true colours today.”