Royal Ascot: Rewilding upsets in Prince of Wales's

Even while So You Think was winning a pair of races in Ireland this spring – his first two starts since being exported from Australia – with enough ease that suggestions of greatness were tossed his direction, there was nagging knowledge that So You Think was flaunting his prowess against inferior foes. Faced with a more difficult task Wednesday at Royal Ascot, So You Think’s cloak of invincibility slipped off, with the Dubai Sheema Classic winner, Rewilding, considered only a mid-level player in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes, running down So You Think in the final half-furlong.

It was a brave and determined effort from Rewilding, who raced last of seven into the long home stretch of the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales’s, worth about $624,000. Jockey Frankie Dettori guided Rewilding to the outside at the head of the straight, and Rewilding commenced a long, sustained rally, finally wearing down So You Think just a few strides before the finish to win by a neck. Later on Wednesday afternoon, the British Horseracing Authority handed Dettori a nine-day suspension for excessive use of the whip aboard Rewilding, the Racing Post reported. The suspension comes on top of a 10-day ban Dettori received for failing to ride out his mount in the Epsom Oaks, and will prevent the jockey from riding in the Group 1 Eclipse at Sandown on July 2.

The others in the Prince of Wales's were well beaten, with Sri Putra six lengths behind So You Think and Planteur another half-length back in fourth. Twice Over ran dismally, beaten 10 lengths by Planteur, while pacesetting Jan Vermeer was eased, as was Debussy, last year’s Arlington Million winner.

New Zealand-bred So You Think made the same kind of effortless move to the lead Wednesday that had propelled him to victory in two earlier 2011 starts, taking over from Jan Vermeer more than a quarter-mile from the finish, and still holding a clear advantage a furlong from home. But when jockey Ryan Moore asked for final acceleration, So You Think could not provide it, and he was unable to stave off Rewilding, who had won the Sheema Classic in much more comfortable late-running fashion.

Rewilding, a 4-year-old son of Tiger Hill owned by Godolphin, was trained to victory by Mahmood al Zarooni. Third to Worforce in the 2010 English Derby, he now has won 5 of 9 career starts. His winning time over turf rated good was 2:04.24.

Earlier Wednesday, 4-year-old filly Lolly for Dolly earned the best win of her career by capturing the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over Chachamaidee. First City was third, The Godolphin-owned Sajjhaa, the betting favorite, fourth. The winner was ridden to victory by Wayne Lordan – his first Royal Ascot win – for trainer Tommy Stack.