StableTalk

Time to look back at a wonderful Quipco British Champions Day at Ascot. Blessed by glorious autumnal sunshine, a large crowd gathered for this quality card which took place on ground called Soft, Heavy in places on the Round Course.

The opening event was the Group 2 Long Distance Cup over 3200m for which six went to post. STRADIVARIUS, winner of the Goodwood Cup and the Gold Cup went off Evens favourite in the face of support for the two Aidan O’Brien runners, FLAG OF HONOUR and SIR EREC.

From the start, the Ballydoyle plan was clear – box in STRADIVARIUS via a phalanx of runners with FLAG OF HONOUR setting the pace, SIR EREC outside him and CYPRESS CREEK holding STRADIVARIUS in. It was a brilliant plan but it failed on the home turn when Ryan Moore couldn’t stop FLAG OF HONOUR hanging left into the straight and Frankie Dettori sent STRADIVARIUS through like the proverbial rat up the metaphorical drainpipe.

Oisin Murphy sent THOMAS HOBSON in pursuit and tried to go up Frankie’s inside but that was never going to happen and the door was firmly but fairly shot leaving STRADIVARIUS to win by a length and a half with SIR EREC a further length back in third closely followed by the others.

It was a sprint finish and one moment of brilliance by Dettori decided the race but STRADIVARIUS remains supreme as the top stayer having won the Yorkshire Cup, Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup before today’s win. Some have argued the staying division up here is pretty weak and there’s some truth in that but STRADIVARIUS has been brilliantly campaigned and he’s only a 4-y-o. He is already 7/4 to win the 2019 Gold Cup but may have to face one of this year’s 3-y-o stayers so it’s no given he can continue.

The second race was the Group 1 Sprint over 1200m which looked an open heat but in fact was done quite simply thanks to a superb piece of front running riding from Paul Hanagan on 28/1 shot SANDS OF MALI. Hanagan jumped and grabbed the lead and then slowed the field up, stacking them up behind him. SIR DANCEALOT, a 1400m horse who struggles to lay up normally with 1200m horses, was travelling easily as were the likes of BRANDO, DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT and THE TIN MAN and this showed they were going no gallop.

Hanagan kicked from the front with 300m to go and only Adam Kirby on HARRY ANGEL went with him but he couldn’t sustain the challenge on the slow ground and was beaten a length with the winner edging away at the line. DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT was a length and a half back in third followed by BRANDO with SIR DANCEALOT a fair fifth, THE TIN MAN seventh and TASLEET eighth.
While the Staying Division has been dominated by one horse, the sprinting division looks wide open. HARRY ANGEL has not really built on his 3-y-o promise and signs of temperament again emerged today but he was much better than at the Royal meeting. Like many others, I’d love to see him over 1000m on fast ground but Godolphin have BLUE POINT and it may be temperament will force retirement.

SANDS OF MALI won the Gimcrack last year and also ran well in the Commonwealth Cup this year but after a couple of poor mid-season runs his fifth in the Haydock Sprint hinted at a return to form and he took the biggest of steps forward with this win. A word also for SIR DANCEALOT who dominated the 1400m season and has run consistently at the highest level in the shorter events.

The Fillies and Mares were next over 2400m. Leger runner up LAH TI DAR was backed in to Evens favourite but this was a strong field with six from the Aidan O’Brien stable. As an aside, of the eleven runners, six were daughters of Galileo, three were daughters of Dubawi and two were daughters of Nathaniel.

BYE BYE BABY was prominent with GOD GIVEN and PILASTER and Frankie Dettori got LAH TI DAR into fourth place ahead of HYDRANGEA, CORONET and the others. Approaching the home turn BYE BYE BABY yielded and LAH TI DAR moved up with HYDRANGEA on her outside but Dettori got a nice kick out of the favourite and poached a lead with 300m to go.

From further back, Ryan Moore was getting MAGICAL rolling and the Aidan O’Brien filly swept past LAH TI DAR with 200m to go leaving the last challenger to be LAH TI DAR’s stable companion CORONET but MAGICAL kept on well to win a length with LAH TI DAR three quarters of a length further back in third.

KITESURF was a never dangerous fourth, three and a half lengths further back but five lengths in advance of HYDRANGEA and the others who were well beaten off in truth.

Post-race, Frankie Dettori was blaming LAH TI DAR’s inexperience for her defeat and this was only her fifth outing but to me she didn’t quite get home on the ground just as she didn’t quite see out the 2800m at Doncaster. The fantastic news is LAH TI DAR will stay in training as a 4-y-o and she can only improve.

CORONET is a wonderful filly who owes her connections nothing. She was beaten only a nostril by WALDGEIST in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud and was admittedly well held in third in the King George before chasing home SEA OF CLASS in the Yorkshire Oaks so she has mixed it with the very best and is a reliable yardstick for middle distance form.

MAGICAL has finally had her day in the sun as a 3-y-o. Let’s not forget she was a Group 1 winning juvenile and highly thought of as a classic prospect but she must have had some issues earlier in the season and after a poor early season run in the Grotte at Longchamp returned to win a Group 2 at The Curragh before being well held in the Matron. She was then sent over 2400m and finished tenth in the Arc which was perhaps better than it looked given she had to run down the outside so maybe the step up in trip has been the making of her.

It's likely she will aim for the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf and she has a huge chance in that race.

Race Four was the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over 1600m. ROARING LION, owned by the sponsor of the day’s racing, Sheikh Fahad, was supported in to 2/1 favourite against a class field of milers and this was no penalty kick given he had been running over 2000m and there were serious concerns about the ground.

His main opponents looked to be the Moulin winner RECOLETOS and the filly LAURENS whose credits included the Diane and the Sun Chariot last time out. There was drama in the stalls when HAPPILY got agitated and was taken out and withdrawn. This seemed to upset ADDEYBB and ALJAZZI had been scratched before the race so only 13 left the stalls.

HEY GAMAN broke well and was soon prominent with LAURENS upside along with CENTURY DREAM while the likes of RECOLETOS and ADDEYBB were held off the pace. ROARING LION didn’t look happy from the mid start and was in mid division early.

600m out and CENTURY DREAM went on and quickly poached a lead. LAURENS was brought under pressure and found nothing leaving RECOLETOS to close into a challenging position but as he moved so did Oisin Murphy on ROARING LION and he moved up to challenge in the final 300m.

From further back, Donnacha O’Brien brought I CAN FLY with a late run but in a pulsating final 150m, it was all about heart and courage as ROARING LION got up by a neck from I Can FLY with CENTURY DREAM half a length back in third just in front of STORMY ANTARCTIC and RECOLETOS.

LAURENS faded to finish eighth but connections confirmed she would stay in training as a 4-y-o. It was a big ask to come back after her gutsy Sun Chariot win and take on the colts and geldings. RECOLETOS didn’t quite get home on ground that might have been a shade too sticky.

I CAN FLY and CENTURY DREAM put up career best performances and one or two might question the value of the overall form but they are horses with an established preference for slow ground so this was their day and they ran to their very best.

ROARING LION hated the ground and it was only his class that got him home. Winner of the Dante, the Eclipse, the Juddmonte and the Irish Champion Stakes, he signed off here in fantastic style and will apparently go to stud rather than have a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic and pays a huge compliment to his all-American breeding. After a slow start in the Craven and the 2000 Guineas, his only disappointment was not quite seeing out the trip in the Derby. He has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the 2018 season.

The Champion Stakes over 2000m was in terms of value if not quality the feature of the afternoon and all eyes were on CRACKSMAN who was aiming to follow up his stellar win of last year. His principal opponents looked to be CRYSTAL OCEAN, who had chased home none other than POET’S WORD and ENABLE in his previous outings and 2017 Leger winner CAPRI who had run a fine fifth in the Arc.

Unlike in June when he appeared mulish and reluctant, the first-time blinkers seemed to have mellowed CRACKSMAN and the preliminaries went without a hitch. From the start, Frankie was anxious to get him into a good position from his wide draw and he ended up tracking his pace maker MAVERICK WAVE and CAPRI who made the early running. CRYSTAL OCEAN sat inside CRACKSMAN with the others held up.

On the home turn, MAVERICK WAVE gave way but as CAPRI moved up, Frankie Dettori swept round the outside on CRACKSMAN trapping CRYSTAL OCEAN on the inside. It was the decisive move as CRACKSMAN went for home fully 500m out but simply powered away coming home by six lengths from CRYSTAL OCEAN who kept on well and an extraordinary effort from the Czech horse SUBWAY DANCER who picked up third in front of CAPRI and RHODODENDRON.

CRYSTAL OCEAN ran another fine race in defeat for all that 2400m and better ground would suit. He’s the yardstick for the very best and many will argue CRACKSMAN comes out at the very top on this evidence – I’m less convinced. It was another striking performance by CRACKSMAN who ends his racing career in style and proved himself almost unbeatable over 2000m on slow ground. On quicker ground and over further he was vulnerable and POET’S WORD comes out as the more versatile performer but whether he would beat ENABLE and SEA OF CLASS over 2400m on a decent surface is an argument for another day.

CRACKSMAN rounded off a huge day for John Gosden with three of his four “bankers” coming in and the defeat of LAH TI DAR seemingly saving the bookies several million pounds. This morning it is still unclear whether ROARING LION will go for the Breeders Cup Classic but it is the end for CRACKSMAN while we may yet see MAGICAL take her place among the pantheon of top fillies and STRADIVARIUS awaits the new crop of older stayers to see if he can regain his title.

The sprinting division remains a mystery with a number of animals of similar abilities and no stellar 3-y-o this year. Next year of course may be different.

With only the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster next weekend, that’s pretty much the end of the 2018 Flat season in England and Ireland. A couple of Group 1 races still in France but it’s time for the circus to go global with Australia, America, Japan and Hong Kong all on the radar in the next seven or eight weeks.

While it’s not the Cox Plate, 19 have been entered for Saturday’s final British Group 1 race of the season, the Vertem Futurity, at Doncaster. Run over 1600m for the juveniles, it has been won over the years by some very good horses including, last year, SAXON WARRIOR, who edged out ROARING LION and we all know what has happened to them as 3-y-o.

Aidan O’Brien has a predictably large entry consisting of nine runners and his pick seems to be MAGNA GRECIA who ran a fine race at Newmarket last time chasing home the best French juvenile, PERSIAN MOON. The two were nicely clear of the others and he looked a decent prospect.

TURGENEV looks the pick of the home team and represents the Gosden/Dettori combination. He won a Newmarket maiden but that does look inferior to the MAGNA GRECIA form. On the other hand, through TOO DARN HOT, Gosden should know where he is with PHOENIX OF SPAIN who was second in the Champagne. That was a solid run and the step up to 1600m will help.

Of the others, the unbeaten colts KADAR and STORMWAVE impressed on debut in maiden company and could be anything while JAPAN won a small race at Naas last time.

It’s also the end of the Group 1 season in France over the weekend. Saturday sees the Criterium de Saint Cloud which is basically the French version of the Vertem Futurity while Chantilly on Sunday sees the Criterium International for the juveniles over 1400m and the Royal Oak over 3000m which is the French St Leger and one of France’s most established races having been run since the middle of the 19th Century.

I’ll have more on the fields for that race and Doncaster’s final declarations tomorrow.

11 go in Saturday's Racing Post at Doncaster where the ground is currently good to soft.

Both KADAR and STORMWAVE been scratched regrettably but otherwise the field has help up well. MAGNA GRECIA is 11/8 favourite with TURGENEV at 4/1 and PHOENIX OF SPAIN at 9/2 and the last named looks a knocking each way bet if I could get 5s or bigger nearer the day.

A decent afternoon's racing in France on Saturday at Saint-Cloud with the Criterium the Group 1 feature. 10 go to post and recent Newmarket winner NORWAY looks a serious contender but I also like the Godolphin challenger SHOOT FOR GOLD who hosed up in a Windsor maiden by seven lengths. That's a light year away from this but he looks the part as to be fair does the local ANECDOTIC who won a Compiegne maiden last time by five lengths.

The ground is Soft in Paris but slightly better at Chantilly where Sunday sees the final two Group 1 races of the French season, the Royal Oak and the Criterium International. Nine have been entered for the Royal Oak with FLAG OF HONOUR and Chaudenay winner BRUNDTLAND taking on the likes of Royallieu runner up PALOMBE and Cadran runner up HOLDTHAISGREEN.

Eight have been entered for the Criterium International but only two are local. Aidan O'Brien has entered HERMOSA, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE and SAN ANDREAS while Mill Reef winner KESSAAR and Godolphin representative ROYAL MEETING are others of interest.

The final French declarations will be through tomorrow.

Aidan O'Brien took CAPE OF GOOD HOPE out of the Criterium International at this morning's final declarations leaving just seven runners and you'd think KESSAAR might have a real chance of getting yet another Group 1 for the combination of John Gosden and Frankie Dettori. The Royal Oak still has nine runners and BRUNDTLAND looks to be the favourite. The ground will be better for FLAG OF HONOUR than it was at Ascot last weekend but I still have my doubts.

The best of the locals look to be CALLED TO THE BAR and HOLDTHAISGREEN who were first and second in the Gladiateur last month.

Looking ahead to next weekend, it's Breeders Cup time once again - this year the two-day meeting is back at Churchill Downs in Kentucky so should be reasonable temperatures and conditions for the Europeans.

There are 14 Group 1 events over the Friday (five) and Saturday (nine) but I'm not going to say much about the six Dirt races with no European runners so that leaves three on Friday and five on Saturday for our delectation.

Friday sees the Juvenile Turf Sprint over 1100m where Norfolk winner SHANG SHANG SHANG faces the likes of SERGEI PROKOFIEV and, more significantly, the Abbaye third SOLDIER'S CALL.

The Juvenile Fillies Turf over 1600m features a strong O'Brien entry in JUST WONDERFUL, SO PERFECT and HERMOSA as well as Godolphin's LA PELOSA and Cheveley Park runner up THE MACKEM BULLET.

Plenty of European interest in the Juvenile Turf with Dewhurst third ANTHONY VAN DYCK a strong contender.

HAVANA GREY and LOST TREASURE are in the Turf Sprint over 1100m where they have to go up against the American speedballs.

The Filly & Mare Turf over 2200m features EZIYRA, an interesting contender from the in-form Dermot Weld yard along with Ascot winner MAGICAL and MAGIC WAND. All will need to be at their best though to defeat Opera winner WILD ILLUSION.

As usual, the Turf Mile has a very strong European entry - EXPERT EYE, GUSTAV KLIMT, LIGHTNING SPEAR, ONE MASTER, HAPPILY and POLYDREAM stand out.

The best is left until the last two races - the Turf over 2400m features Arc winner ENABLE, the Fabre pair of TALISMANIC and WALDGEIST and CRYSTAL OCEAN, likely to be much better suited to this than the 2000m of the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Finally, the Classic with champion 3-y-o ROARING LION and Dubai World Cup winner THUNDER SNOW against ACCELERATE and WEST COAST.

Plenty to talk about next week.

Time to look back at the weekend up here with the last big races of the European flat season in England and France.

Saturday saw the Vertem Futurity for the juveniles over 1600m at Doncaster where the ground was Good to Soft, Soft in places after rain. MAGNA GRECIA went off favourite to maintain Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on this race - he had won it eight times including 2017 when SAXON WARRIOR edged out ROARING LION in a pulsating finish. From the start, WESTERN AUSTRALIA and CIRCUS MAXIMUS set a strong gallop with the fancied horses, MAGNA GRECIA, TURGENEV and PHOENIX OF SPAIN all in midfield. To be honest, 500m out I thought the first two might have slipped the field but the challengers closed albeit on soft ground the juveniles were running round a bit.

MAGNA GRECIA and PHOENIX OF SPAIN got into a bit of a barging match but the former prevailed and despite another bump in the shadow of the post prevailed by a head from PHOENIX OF SPAIN (and those who of us who took 6s on the morning were obviously disappointed not to be winning but the place bet meant a profit so that's all good) with WESTERN AUSTRALIA three quarters of a length back in third just in front of CIRCUS MAXIMUS and GREAT SCOT who, although fifth, was beaten less than a length and a half.

On that basis it's perhaps wise to ask a question or two about the quality of the race but Aidan O'Brien said after the race he thought MAGNA GRECIA was still green (this was only his third race) and he would be a 1600-2000m horse. MAGNA GRECIA is 20/1 for the 2000 Guineas but through PHOENIX OF SPAIN you can argue he has a bit to find with TOO DARN HOT. PHOENIX OF SPAIN is in the Irish 2000 Guineas as connections don't think Newmarket will suit the colt.

In France yesterday the ground had improved to Good at Saint Cloud for the 2000m Criterium de Saint Cloud, the longest Group 1 in the European pattern for the juveniles. NORWAY, representing Ballydoyle and Coolmore, had won the Zetland at Newmarket over the same distance convincingly and was sent off favourite but faced strong challenges from his stable companion SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE and from English raiders FOX TAL and SHOOT FOR GOLD. Seamie Heffernan soon had Norway prominent and led the field turning for home but you never had the sense he had been able to shale them all and FOX TAL was the first to pass with 300m out.

FOX TAL's lead was brief as Mikael Barzalona brought SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE to challenge but he too was mugged in the shadow of the post by local house WONDERMENT who was prodiced at the perfect point by Stephane Pasquier. This was a rare win for the locals and a setback for the raiders in a juvenile season where the British and Irish raiders have plundered the top French prizes. WONDERMENT had run third in a Group 3 las time but this daughter of Camelot looks a nice prospect and I wonder if she'll head for the English and Irish Oaks next year.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, a son of Australia (no surprise) ran a fine race but just looks short of pace at the very top level, will obviously be a Derby contender while I thought FOX TAL didn't get quite home and both NORWAY and SHOOT FOR GOLD were disappointing.

Today it was all eyes on Chantilly for the final two French Group 1 races of the year. Just six went to post for the Criterium International and HERMOSA went off narrow favourite over Mill Reef winner KESSAAR on whom Frankie Dettori grabbed the lead early. However, in the straight Ryan Moore (who I saw at Plumpton last Monday as a spectator, the lad gets about) brought HERMOSA to challenge and she quickly went on. Meanwhile, Christophe Soumillion had kept ROYAL MEETING out the back but unleashed the Godolphin colt with a powerful run down the outside and he led inside the final 100m and won going away by three quarters of a length from HERMOSA with the local GRAIGNES running on for third.

Saeed Bin Suroor has a nice bunch of juveniles after a couple of quiet years and this son of Invincible Spirit who is incidentally a brother to the useful Meydan Dirt galloper HEAVY METAL won on his debut at Yarmouth and has come straight up to Group 1 on his second outing. Whether he's a Guineas horse I'm not sure but he's going the right way and will be an interesting 3-y-o prospect. HERMOSA has run consistently all season but I just question whether the Ballydoyle juvenile fillies are quite as good this year as they have been in the past two or three seasons when they have carried all before them.

The Royal Oak over 3000m saw eight go to post and BRYNDTLAND went off a short priced favourite to maintain his unbeaten record. Ryan Moore soon had FLAG OF HONOUR in the lead with BRUNDTLAND settled third. However, the crossing of the all-weather track which takes place after the field leaves the home straight caused a lot of problems with FLAG OF HONOUR seemingly spooked and sent back to the rear and PALOMBE moving through along with HOLDTHAISGREEN to take up the running. It was a curious incident and I'm not sure what effect it had on the race but the French stayers took over and that effectively was that for the British and Irish raiders.

PALOMBE weakened at the top of the straight and BRUNDTLAND moved up to challenge HOLDTHAISGREEN but his challenge faltered as CALLED TO THE BAR came with his challenge but HOLDTHAISGREEN stays longer than the mother-in-law and held on to prevail in a bunch finish by three quarters of a length from CALLED TO THE BAR with MORGAN LE FAYE running on for third just in front of BRUNDTLAND and FLAG OF HONOUR.

Both the fancied 3-y-o disappointed slightly in a curious race. FLAG OF HONOUR was spooked by the all weather track which at Chantilly crosses the main track (a bit like Kempton) and hampered BRUNDTLAND and both were struggling to get back involved in a race which then was run to suit the locals. CALLED TO THE BAR beat HOLDTHAISGREEN in the Gladiateur after which the latter had also finished runner up in the Cadran so for me the issue of who is France's better stayer remains unresolved as there was very little between them again today. Connections of HOLDTHAISGREEN were talking about a tilt at the Ascot Gold Cup next year and with VAZIRABAD perhaps not the horse he was there is a gap at the top of the French staying division. CALLED TO THE BAR is only a 4-y-o and it may be there is further improvement but we'll see where connections choose to campaign next year.

That pretty much wraps up matters English, Irish and French for the season on the track. There will be the inevitable spate of retirements - HARRY ANGEL goes to Dalham Hall Stud for the 2019 breeding season - and I'll report on those as I hear the details but the on track action goes global as we head to America, Australia and later Japan and Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, the Meydan Carnival is starting on January 3rd next year so there will be very little break over the coming winter.

Final declarations and stall numbers are through for Friday's Breeders Cup races.

It looks as though heavy rain will hit Kentucky Thursday so it's possible the turf will be softer than the usual American Firm.

The opening Juvenile Turf Sprint over 1100m has seen Abbaye third SOLDIER'S CALL get a good number (2) and is 7/2 favourite over here with SERGEI PROKOFIEV (8). Wesley Ward runs four including Norfolk winner SHANG SHANG SHANG but the best of the locals might be STRIKE SILVER. If SOLDIER'S CALL brings the Abbaye form he'll likely win.

NEWSPAPERRECORD is a strong favourite for the Juvenile Fillies Turf having won her two starts by a total of 13 lengths. She faces Rockfel winner JUST WONDERFUL who, to be fair, has been beaten at Group 1 level in Europe. LA PELOSA has claims but if this favourite is all the Americans think she is, the Europeans will have a lot on their plate.

In the Juvenile Turf, ANTHONY VAN DYCK represents the very best European juvenile form having runsecond to QUORTO in the National Stakes and third to TOO DARN HOT in the Dewhurst. The only problem is he was the widest gate so the likes of LINE OF DUTY and the top local FORTY UNDER will have chances.

Finally, British raider TOAST OF NEW YORK runs in the Grade 2 Marathon over 2800m on the Dirt. After running last in the Pegasus back in January, he returned with a decent second in a Group 3 over course and distance last time.

The Breeders Cup is at hand but with heavy rain having fallen on Churchill Downs yesterday it's anyone's guess how the turf track will ride. It's changed from Firm to Yielding but in American terms that's akin to an English Soft.

The Juvenile Turf Sprint has SOLDIER'S CALL the 10/3 favourite with SERGEI PROKOFIEV at 7/2. Both have form on slow turf but SOLDIER'S CALL has the edge on current form. SO PERFECT is interesting back in trip but SOLDIER'S CALL was third in the Abbaye.

NEWSPAPEROFRECORD is now 6/4 favourite for the Juvenile Fillies Turf over 1600m. Her American record reads impressive but she's never come up against horses of this quality but she has won on Yielding turf and all the Europeans look better on faster ground so she could well be the one.

ANTHONY VAN DYCK is 11/4 favourite for the Juvenile Turf and he represents all the top European juvenile form. He has won on Yielding turf while main opponent LINE OF DUTY won on Good to Soft in France last time. The problem for ANTHONY VAN DYCK is the wide barrier and I much prefer LINE OF DUTY.

On to Saturday, the Turf Sprint looks wide open. Only two European runners stand - HAVANA GREY is a useful type but another who may just prefer faster ground. I thought LOST TREASURE ran a blinder in the Abbaye but he has been beaten twice in lesser company since. It may be he is the sort of horse that improves with the quality of the competition. I suspect neither will be involved however and STORMY LIBERAL is perhaps the best of the locals.

WILD ILLUSION is the 2/1 favourite for the Filly & Mare Turf. She won the Nassau and Opera and had previously finished second on soft ground in the English Oaks. I suspect the trip rather than the ground beat her that day and she must have a big chance. She holds MAGIC WAND on Opera form but may have plenty to fear from Beverley D winner SISTERCHARLIE but this one is untested on slow turf. I quite like EZIYRA who won the Blandford last time and has form with the likes of ENABLE (of whom more anon).

MUSTASHRY has got into the Turf Mile but favourite is POLYDREAM but she was disappointing in the Foret after a good win in the Maurice de Gheest. There is a strong European challenge and GUSTAV KLIMT has done me proud this year at least in each way terms and has performed well from 1200 to 1600m. EXPERT EYE is another interesting runner and has had a nice break since running third to RECOLETOS in the Moulin. I CAN FLY and HAPPILY have place claims in a race where the Europeans have a strong hand.

The Turf over 2400m has long been a race for the Europeans and ENABLE comes here from her second Arc win as 1/2 favourite. GOLDEN HORN and DANCING BRAVE came here from the Arc and were beaten but both had long seasons while ENABLE was off until September and was only having her second race when winning at Longchamp. As long as the ground isn't too soft, she ought to win this. She holds WALDGEIST and last year's winner of this race, TALISMANIC, on Arc form but she faces a more serious threat, I believe, in MAGICAL who, although seemingly well held in tenth in Paris, came out and was a decent winner of the Fillies and Mares at Ascot. She's proven on slow ground and rates for me a threat but the dual Arc winner ought to be too good and from barrier 2 should be able to be near the pace.

The Classic over 2000m on the Dirt is worth £2.4 million to the winner. Favourite is ACCELERATE who put up a stunning performance to win the pacific Classic by twelve and a half lengths and best WEST COAST in the Awesome Again Stakes last time. THUNDER SNOW won the Dubai World Cup but has not looked so good on the American Dirt while MENDELSSOHN was well held on the slop in the Kentucky Derby and has run okay without looking a world beater since. The joker in the pack could be ROARING LION who has won the Eclipse, Juddmonte, Irish Champion and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes back to 1600m last time. He's American bred but has never run on Dirt and the American experts think that the stock of Kitten's Joy are happier on grass. On form he's the equivalent of GIANT'S CAUSEWAY who just failed to TIZNOW back in 2001 and he's drawn well at two but we simply don't know how he will act.

The opening day of the Breeders Cup meeting saw the turf track upgraded to Good after Wednesday’s deluge (nearly two inches of rain fell) but they looked to be taking the top off and I just wonder how well it actually rode.

The opening Juvenile Turf Sprint over 1100m saw a strong European challenge headed by Abbaye third SOLDIER’S CALL and Cheveley Park third SO PERFECT. However, if we’ve learnt nothing else but American racing, it’s the importance of getting that break from the stalls and SOLDIER’S CALL missed the bell which left Oisin Murphy forcing the horse to use energy to get a position after which he ran too free and was done with in the final 150m despite having turned for home in third place.

Javier Castellano got a flying start on BULLETIN and effectively won the race there and then. The only horse to go with him was CHELSEA CLOISTERS who had disappointed in the Queen Mary but in the straight BULLETIN was always going too well and came home unchallenged by two- and three-quarter lengths.

CHELSEA CLOISTERS held second by a length from the pack headed by European raiders SO PERFECT and QUEEN OF BERMUDA both of whom ran on without ever landing any kind of blow. SOLDIER’S CALL weakened to sixth, SERGEI PROKOFIEV was eighth and the other Europeans trailed. Only two lengths split third and eighth in the bunch for the minor money.

BULLETIN had won a 1000m maiden on debut by seven lengths at Gulfstream Park but this was a million miles from that. I’[d love to see him come for the Commonwealth Cup next year but he’s a gelding and no doubt will do plenty of racing from now on.

I’ve been watching and following racing for the better part of 50 years and have seen all the great performances in that day from Nijinsky to Frankel and the corollary of that is it takes a lot to impress me but NEWSPAPEROFRECORD absolutely pulverised her rivals with the most impressive juvenile Breeders Cup performance I’ve seen since Arazi.

Irad Ortiz jumped the daughter of Lope de Vega from the stalls and never had a moment’s worry. She was travelling as though on a morning canter on the home turn while the others were all being pushed along and came home eased down by six- and three-quarter lengths without breaking sweat.

This was the most impressive performance I’ve seen by a juvenile filly this year and she has now won her three races by a total of just shy of 20 lengths which takes some doing. She’s the third foal of Sunday Times by Holy Roman Emperor. Her half-sister CLASSICAL TIMES (by Lawman) is a Listed class sprinter in the UK while her half brother (by Iffraj) called SPORTSWRITER is a maiden in the UK so you never can tell.

I’d love her to train on and come to Europe but I suspect if she’s that good the American scene has plenty of opportunities for her to exploit and I really hope this is just the start.

EAST for British trainer Kevin Ryan was second, Rockfel winner JUST WONDERFUL was beaten eight lengths into fourth and Cheveley Park runner up THE MACKEM BULLET was sixth.

The Juvenile Turf for the colts and geldings looked a very open race but again the Europeans were strongly represented with ANTHONY VAN DYCK and LINE OF DUTY sent off 3/1 joint favourites. It was always going to be tough for the former from the side stall and he never got involved but LINE OF DUTY broke well and pushed up to hold a prominent position behind FORTY UNDER and pace setter SOMELIKEITBROWN.

On the home turn, William Buick switched off the inside, where the ground looked to be quite poached but lost momentum and it seemed SOMELIKEITBROWN might be another front runner winner but UNCLE BENNY, who had missed the start, challenged from the rear and Buick forced LINE OF DUTY down the outside with a renewed challenge and snatched the race close home to win by half a length and a neck from UNCLE BENNY and SOMELIKEITBROWN.

Of the Europeans, ARTHUR KITT ran on strongly to be fourth beaten two and a half lengths while ANTHONY VAN DYCK and MARIE’S DIAMOND never got involved in ninth and eleventh respectively.
This was a fine battling performance by LINE OF DUTY and an inspired ride by Buick who might well have been castigated had he lost but to the victor the spoils. He’s by Galileo out of Jacqueline Quest, who was second in the 2010 1000 Guineas and third in that year’s Coronation Stakes so you’d think he’d get 2000m and perhaps further. He’s in the Derby but with Godolphin having QUORTO you’d imagine Newmarket won’t be an option.

All in all, a mixed night for the Europeans with a win and some places but we saw a real champion in NEWSPAPEROFRECORD and a very fast horse in BULLETIN.

More to come…

On then to Saturday’s Breeders Cup action and a stellar card of nine Grade 1 races on the Dirt and Turf.

European interest began in the second race, the Turf Sprint over 1100m but both HAVANA GREY and LOST TREASURE looked to have it to do against the American speedballs. To be fair, HAVANA GREY broke well and led after 50m but he was soon struggling and in the straight the race concerned only STORMY LIBERAL and WORLD OF TROUBLE who raced with the pace throughout.

In the final 100m, STORMY LIBERAL just outstayed WORLD OF TROUBLE to win this race for the second year in succession and establish himself as the top turf sprinter in North America. I wonder if connections will eye another tilt at the Al Quoz Sprint Meydan in March, a race STORMY LIBERAL ran second in last year to JUNGLE CAT who hasn’t been seen since that run.

WILD ILLUSION went off 9/4 favourite for the 2100m Filly & Mare Turf and was soon sitting third behind MAGIC WAND and pacesetter A RAVING BEAUTY. They didn’t go madly fast as they often do in American races and on the home turn A RAVING BEAUTY kicked and went for home but William Buick covered the move and got to the front inside the final 150m but John Velazquez brought SISTERCHARLIE from the rear with a beautifully timed run to run down WILD ILLUSION in the final 50m.

A RAVING BEAUTY ran a fine race in third with MAGIC WAND just outpaced in fourth and the second O’Brien runner, ATHENA, coming home well in fifth.

WILD ILLUSION ran another huge race and if you consider she was runner up in the English Oaks, Ribblesdale and now the Filly & Mare Turf as well as winning the Nassau and the Opera, she’s had a tremendous season and will be a most popular broodmare.

I’d forgotten SISTERCHARLIE was trained in France in the early part of her 3-y-o career and had run second in the 2017 Diane but in America she has improved and won the Beverley D last time which would be the midsummer equivalent of this race. Both the front two are excellent fillies and from the top drawer.

The late scratching of POLYDREAM left the Turf Mile race looking wide open. It was a real European race run at an average early gallop which left any number of horses with chances off the home turn. ANALYSE IT had been with the pace throughout but MUSTASHRY had gone up to keep him honest down the back stretch but as the turn loomed the pack began to close including the likes of ONE MASTER, CATAPULT and EXPERT EYE.

In the straight, ANALYSE IT went for home having seen off LIGHTNING SPEAR who flattered off the home turn. DIVISIDERO came with his run as did CATAPULT but Frankie Dettori brought EXPERT EYE with a last late run down the outside to snatch the race in the shadow of the post.

CATAPULT, ANALYSE IT and DIVISIDERO filled the places with ONE MASTER and CLEMMIE not beaten far. This was an extraordinary performance by EXPERT EYE who I’ve always thought would find the sharp American 1600m right up his street. He was trapped out wide but got a good run down the far side and Dettori managed to get him running off the turn and he prevailed in the last strides.

EXPERT EYE was once thought of as a potential superstar but he hasn’t quite scaled those heights. That being said, winning the Jersey at the Royal meeting, a close second in the Sussex and a close third in the Moulin aren’t the hallmarks of a poor horse and I’d like to think he’ll stay in training as a 4-y-o as I think there is plenty of improvement still to come.

The 2400m Turf has long been dominated by the Europeans but Arc winners haven’t found it such a happy hunting ground with both FOUND and GOLDEN HORN tasting defeat here after victory in Paris but ENABLE came here off the back of a light season and her second Arc and was sent off 8/13 to add the Breeders Cup to her roll of honour.

The locals set the early fractions with GLORIOUS EMPIRE on point leaving ENABLE, TALISMANIC, HUNTING HORN and MAGICAL all sitting in midfield. Mikael Barzalona on TALISMANIC got caught on the inside as the front runners wilted and his race was over. HUNTING HORN, MAGICAL and ENABLE swept round the outside and came up the middle of the Churchill Downs straight but the two fillies dominated the final 400m.

MAGICAL grabbed the lead off the turn and Dettori had to get at ENABLE to force her into the lead but in the final 150m the Arc winner had the race in safe keeping and won a length from MAGICAL with five or six lengths back to SADLER’S JOY with WALDGEIST a never nearer fifth.

MAGICAL, like her contemporary SEA OF CLASS at Paris, gave ENABLE a real fright and she clearly has no issues with 2400m and ran a blinder here. If she stays in training as a 4-y-o she’s going to be a big player in the middle-distance class.

As for ENABLE, another superb performance. She didn’t need to be at her best to win in Paris but she needed to be close to it to see off MAGICAL here. She becomes the first horse to win the Arc and Breeders Cup Turf in the same reason and is the undoubted champion middle distance horse in Europe. I’d crawl over broken glass to see her take on WINX over 2100m but that will never happen. I believe she will seek to do what TREVE failed to do and seek to win her third Arc next year but hopefully we’ll see more of her during the summer. It’s also a huge success for trainer John Gosden who brought her back after such a long lay off to scoop the two big Autumn prizes.

Only the Classic could follow that but ROARING LION looked to have a lot to do to emulate his stable mate. He wasn’t helped by some scrimmaging at the start in which both he and CATHOLIC BOY were sufferers and neither figured with ROARING LION coming home a tailed off last.

The other Europeans were faring better with MENDELSSOHN up the front dictating the pace and THUNDER SNOW well placed on the inside. MENDELSSOHN led into the straight but was soon challenged by THUNDER SNOW but both could only watch as Joel Rosario sent ACCELERATE through down the outside with the decisive challenge.

ACCELERATE had only been beaten by CITY OF LIGHT (who had previously been an impressive inner of the Dirt Mile) all year and that was at Oaklawn but otherwise had been unbeaten including a big win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Whether he for the Dubai World Cup remains to be seen.

THUNDER SNOW just lost second on the post but this was another fine effort and he will seek to retain his crown at Meydan in the spring while MENDELSSOHN finished an honest fifth perhaps paying the price for the strong early fractions.

For the Europeans then, an average night. They have often won the Turf races at 1600m and 2400m and did so again this year with EXPERT EYE and the brilliant ENABLE. WILD ILLUSION was a near miss in the Filly & Mare Turf while THUNDER SNOW ran with credit in the Classic but the sprinters were wholly outclassed and there was no representation in the other Dirt races.

From here, the circus moves to Australia and Flemington.