So You Think is set to face 10 rivals – minus French star Cirrus De AIgles - as he bids to make amends for last year's defeat in the 150th anniversary of the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
Photo by Pat Healy Photography
Triple G1 winner Cirrus De Aigles was the 5-2 second favourite but was missing from the final declarations on Monday after trainer Corine Barande-Barbe decided to reserve him for the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France on Sunday.
Cirrus De Aigles beat So You Think in last October's G1 Champion Stakes over Wednesday's course and distance of 10 furlongs.
Aidan O'Brien's former Australian star suffered a shock loss at the hands of Rewilding in last year's Prince Of Wale's Stakes over the same trip at Royal Ascot and with his stud career looming his Coolmore connections will be hoping the six-year-old can set the record straight.
So You Think failed first-up in Dubai in March but registered his ninth G1 victory on his return to Ireland with a six lengths romp in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month.
So You Think is now an odds-on favourite with The Queen's top class 4YO Carlton House a clear second elect.
Third in the Epsom Derby last summer, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Carlton House made a successful return after a long lay-off in the G2 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown three weeks ago.
So You Think's stablemate free running Robin Hood was third in the Tatts Gold Cup at the Currgah and is likely to be used in the role of pacemaker again.
Big Blue Kitten is a fascinating runner from America where he is trained by Chad Brown while France is represented by G1 winner Reliable Man, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre.
Reliable Man most recently found the firmish conditions against him in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan but won two good races last year – the g1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly and the G2 Prix Niel at Longchamp - and will relish the prospect of soft ground.
Big Blue Kitten wasn't discredited when second to Wise Dan in the G3 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland last time. Previously, Big Blue Kitten was third to Get Stormy in the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
Johnny Murtagh has been booked for the US challenger.
Godolphin are double-handed with the unbeaten three-times raced Farhh from Saeed bin Suroor's yard and Mahmood Al Zarooni's City Style.
Planteur, Colombian, Sri Putra and Wigmore Hall complete the line-up.
Track conditions are expected to be on the easy side of good for the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
The going was rated good to soft on Monday after 6mm of rain overnight.
Dry weather is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday before rain returns on Thursday.
The estimate is for between four and seven mm rain of during Thursday.
