So You Think's Achievements Compared With Those of Phar Lap

So You Think's Achievements Compared With Those of Phar Lap Timeform's expert Australian representative Gary Crispe has declared So You Think's (NZ) victory in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes as the most outstanding international performance by any Australasian thoroughbred of the modern era.

Since Timeform was founded by Phil Bull in 1948 it has grown into an internationally renowned organisation with Timeform ratings widely accepted as the definitive measure of racing merit.

Crispe argues that despite the outstanding international achievements during the past 50 years from Southern Hemisphere champions including the NZB graduate Starcraft (NZ), who won Group 1 races over a mile in England and France, none have managed to achieve what So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral x Triassic) has accomplished in his short stint in the Northern Hemisphere.

"There has always been the view, and it still exists today, that Europe is the domain of middle-distance and staying thoroughbred supremacy," said Crispe.

"There are many who may disagree but it is hard to argue against the view when horses such as Glass Harmonium and My Kingdom Of Fife, to name just two, generally regarded as second-tier in Europe, can come to Australia and win or be competitive at Group 1 level."

In recent years countries like Japan have come close to taking a middle distance race in Europe with horses like El Condor Pasa, Nakayama Festa and Deep Impact who all placed in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe, and Heart's Cry who ran third in the Ascot King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

New Zealand has gone close with Balmerino placing in some of Europe's most prestigious races including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the Coronation Cup and Eclipse Stakes, and Australia have also gone close in the Arc with Strawberry Road, but none have accomplished the feat.

"Against this background, it is easy to appreciate why many in the UK believed So You Think faced a herculean task to be competitive at Group 1 level in England over a middle distance and beyond, let alone be victorious.

"But So You Think has eclipsed the past deeds of some great overseas gallopers who were unable to achieve this single most significant feat - beat the Europeans on British soil over a middle distance."

New Zealand has bred and trained many outstanding ambassadors who have flown the kiwi flag on the international stage, but, according to Crispe, not since the New Zealand bred Phar Lap beat America's best in the Agua Caliente Handicap in 1932, has an Australasian horse made such an impact on world racing.

Like So You Think (NZ), who was sold at the Karaka Premier Sale in 2008 for $110,000, Phar Lap (NZ) is also a graduate of the New Zealand Sales and was bought for 160 guineas in 1928.

With both of these champions bred, raised and sold in New Zealand, the impact that New Zealand thoroughbreds have had in the past, and are having now on world racing is significant, and their exploits overseas are invaluable when looking at promoting New Zealand thoroughbreds, and Australasian racing to the world.

"All So You Think's critics were silenced at Sandown in the Eclipse Stakes over 10 furlongs where he faced Europe's top-rated middle distance/staying colt Workforce (Timeform rated 133), winner of the 2010 Epsom Derby and Prix de 'Arc de Triomphe," said Crispe.

"So You Think demonstrated his superiority over Workforce, giving the colt a start and winning up the Sandown Park straight. Timeform assessed the merit of the win at 134."

A Timeform rating of 134 would make the son of High Chaparral the third highest rated horse in the world, and the highest rated middle distance horse on the planet.