The Breeders' Cup, the self proclaimed World Thoroughbred Championship, is finally here. I'm not so sure that the World Championship tag is quite justified now but there is a very strong couple of days racing in prospect nevertheless. The European challenge is dominated by the Ballydoyle battalions with Aidan O'Brien responsible for most of the raiding party.
Shumoos is the first European runner to set foot on the track when she takes on the boys, and the dirt, in the Juvenile Sprint. Hot favourite is Secret Circle who is unbeaten in two, but Shumoos must hold a chance if she adapts to the dirt surface. She was bred for dirt so there is every chance that she will. All her best form is on flat tracks so conditions might well play to her strengths. Place prospects.
Next up is the Juvenile Fillies Turf where the John Gosden trained Elusive Kate is favourite on the back of her win in the G1 Marcel Boussac. Also representing the home team is the Aidan O'Brien trained Up. She has just a maiden win to her name and will need more to feature in this. Elusive Kate has a favourites chance on the book but there are a lot of unexposed types lurking in the race.
There is no European challenge for the Filly And Mare Sprint. Switch was second in this last year when suffering a poor trip. She has been running well in behind some smart types over further and holds every chance back over this trip. Favourite is the 3yo filly Turbulent Descent who is fancied by many to take this in impressive style. But my preference is for Switch who looks to have been primed for this and at a bigger price.
Aidan O'Brien saddles Homecoming Queen in the Juvenile Fillies with John Gosden sending Questing. This is a race which the Europeans have a dire record in with not one of the 14 fillies reaching the first three. It is therefore best to look to the home team with the favourite, My Miss Aurelia, holding strong claims. She is unbeaten in 3 starts and looked very smart last time when winning as she pleased in the G1 Frizette Stakes.
Next up is the Filly And Mare Turf. Here a strong raiding party is headed by Prix De l'Opera 1-2 Nahrain and Announce, with Misty For Me lining up for O'Brien. This probably reprents our best chance of success on the first night but the home defence should not be readily dismissed. Stacelita, the former smart French performer, and Dubawi Heights, formerly trained in Newmarket, head the opposition. Stacelita was very good in France and has looke right up to her best with two G1 successes in her last two starts. She will be a tough nut to crack.
The first day finale is the Ladies' Classic. Won by Zenyatta in 2008 this years field lacks a filly of that calibre. Plum Pretty heads the market with Royal Delta and It's Tricky next best. They have been taking it in turns to beat each other but back on the tight track at Churchill Downs Plum Pretty is taken to come out on top once again.
The Friday card is something of a taster for tomorrow night's action. The Saturday card features the Classic alongside the Mile, the Turf and the Juvenile. Some top class horses in action this evening but it's really just a warm up for the big races tomorrow night. And now for some advice: keep your money in your pocket because, unless you've been working hard all year, you'll know far less than you should about the track, the surface, the trainers, the jockeys, the horses and so on. From bitter experience i know it's best to sit back and watch the action, cheer on the European challenge, without risking a penny on the unknown. I will endeavour to stick to that advice myself.
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