Timeform highlight three European winners at the 2022 Breeders' Cup who showed significantly improved form.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
The meeting as a whole underlined the current strength of European horses on turf compared to their American counterparts and Meditate (114 from 109), in particular, looked simply a class above her rivals as she became only the third winner from outside North America in 15 runnings of this particular contest.
Meditate came from well off the pace and showed a fine turn of foot to settle matters, ultimately winning by two and a half lengths from the hitherto unbeaten Pleasant Passage (107 from 103p). She clearly benefited from being upped to a mile, improving again in a season that's seen her thrive on racing having been precocious enough to win over five furlongs early on.
This was a smart performance which very much strengthened Meditate’s 1000 Guineas claims, though it's also worth remembering what Tahiyra did to her, albeit on very different going, in the Moyglare two starts back.
Back in fourth was the less battle-hardened Oh So Sharp winner Midnight Mile (103p), who showed some promise to hit the frame from even further back than the winner for Richard Fahey. She remains with potential for next year.
Click here to read the Timeform report of the Breeders' Cup Classic
Juvenile Turf
The 14 runners included just two from Britain/Ireland, but they represented stables that had won seven renewals of this contest between them already and the smart pair had it between them in the closing stages, a bob of the heads favouring Victoria Road (114p from 105p) over Silver Knott (115) who had managed to squeeze through some tight gaps to mount his challenge against the rail.
Victoria Road hasn't looked back since taking five starts to lose his maiden tag and showed a good deal more improvement to complete a four-timer up in grade. He's already proven at a bit further than this and there should be more to come from him next year.
Meanwhile, Silver Knott confirmed the improvement he'd shown in winning the Autumn the time before but was touched off by the minimum margin. He too will stay further than a mile in due course.
Turf
It's hard to think this was a truly vintage edition of the Turf, but the winner Rebel’s Romance (124 from 120) was pretty dominant having got a much better run through than favourite and stable companion Nations Pride (123), who finished only fifth.
This was Rebel’s Romance’s fifth win in a row – the last three of them in Group 1 company – and it was his best effort yet, finding an impressive change of pace to put his seal on the race with some authority. As a gelding he'll be around for more in 2023 and ought to be a major player in some of the top races at this trip around the world.
Stone Age (122) filled the runner-up spot (beaten two and a quarter lengths) and matched the form he’d shown previously at Leopardstown and Ascot, looking more at home at this trip faced with a lesser test of stamina than when tried over it previously in the Derby.
War Like Goddess (122) fared best of the home team in third, just ahead of Mishriff (127), who was again below form fitted with blinkers for his swansong, albeit he had another tricky draw to contend with and made his task even harder by failing to get away cleanly.
Click here to read the Timeform report of the Breeders' Cup Classic
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