O’Brien not certain for Think ride

Joseph O’Brien has played down speculation linking him with the mount on So You Think in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday week.

Trained by his father Aidan, So You Think is favourite for the 10 million dollar race on the back of a solid first season in Europe after joining Ballydoyle from Australia.

O’Brien became the youngest ever jockey to win at the Breeders’ Cup meeting when partnering another possible Dubai mount, St Nicholas Abbey, to a famous victory in the Turf.

With Ryan Moore, a jockey O’Brien snr repeatedly turned to in the big races last season, apparently lined up to partner Planteur for Marco Botti or Silver Pond, many believed it paved the way for the youngster to take the most important ride of his career.

However, while several horses trained at Ballydoyle appeared among the ‘likely fields’ released by the Dubai Racing Club at the weekend, the jockey revealed that none are yet definite runners.

“As yet we’re not quite sure what’s going and what’s not going,” said O’Brien.

“I haven’t been told what I’ll be riding and all the horses still have a couple of pieces of work to be done.

“Nothing is 100% certain to be going just yet.”