Bart Cummings believes So You Think will strip a much fitter horse for the G1 Coral Eclipse (2000m) at Sandown this Saturday.

So You Think (5h High Chaparral – Triassic by Tights) has opened up an 11/10 favourite ahead of Juddmonte’s Arc de Triomphe winner Workforce at 7/4.

“He certainly will improve from that run at Royal Ascot,” Cummings said.  “He over-raced and was rather fresh.  He pulled a little bit and the jockey may have gone too early.

“The experience will have also educated (Aidan) O’Brien about the horse.”

O’Brien shouldered the blame for So You Think’s defeat by Rewilding in the Prince of Wales Stakes.  There has also been criticism of his pacemaker Jan Vermeer in bringing the champion undone.

“I think pacemakers are completely unnecessary and cause too much trouble,” Cummings said.  “We are on the right track banning them in Australia.”

Steven Arnold, who rode So You Think to his second Cox Plate victory last year, was at Royal Ascot and saw him get run down by Rewilding.

“I thought So You Think looked fit pre-race and was surprised he did not win.  I suppose they beat the rest by six lengths but take nothing away from the winner who did a good job.”

Arnold was also baffled as to why a pacemaker would be used when So You Think is an on-pace galloper.  “You want the softest run possible.  You don’t want to have to chase the leader and make it a real test.”

O’Brien has already tipped his hand by nominating Jan Vermeer plus Cape Blanco and Alexander Pope for the Eclipse Stakes.

In what’s sure to be a race of tactics, Juddmonte trainer Sir Michael Stoute has also entered Confront as pacemaker for Workforce.

The Coral Eclipse is scheduled for Sunday morning at 12.10am (AEST).