Simon Holt Breeders' Cup preview and tips

Sobering as it is to say so, many races are won by the horse who slows down the slowest and this is certainly the case in US dirt races where horses are trained for gate speed and lightning early pace after which it's a case of battling home.

There is no need for any slow motion replays of the finish and, often, it is an optical illusion when horses appear to be quickening up and finishing strongly.

Dirt can be an unattractive racing spectacle - particularly when 'sloppy' (after heavy rain) - and, combined with the flat-out style of racing, it's an alien scenario and surface to the vast majority of British, Irish and French racehorses.

The biggest issue is that very few are bred for it so historic and prestigious races like the Kentucky Derby and Saturday's Breeders Cup Classic remain elusive.

Equally, for reasons unknown, our top trainers struggle to get horses 'to jump' as quickly as their American counterparts, and watching some of Wesley Ward's runners leave the stalls like bullets from a gun at Royal Ascot can take the breath away.

Ward runs the blistering Bacio in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in which Comanche Brave, the July Cup winner, looks to be his main rival with the British-trained trio Starlust (the 2024 winner), Miss Yechance and Big Mojo (a reserve) all drawn wide.

The Breeders' Cup is a meeting of two halves: dirt and turf. And, for the most part, the two sides play at different ends.

None of the dirt races at this year's meeting will feature any of the visitors and, while Aidan O'Brien's Coolmore paymasters have long held ambitions to win the Classic, they are unrepresented after the Chad Brown-trained Sierra Leone went close 12 months ago.

It's an "itch they'd like to scratch" according to one team member but a hugely difficult race to win, and the defeat of City Of Troy, who was buried in some ferocious kickback at Del Mar two years ago, was sad to see.

O'Brien has trained many good horses but not too many better than the brilliant Derby, Eclipse and Juddmonte International winner who suffered a bitter ending to his career, beaten 13 lengths covered in muck. He deserved much better.

One of the reasons for the failure, of course, might be that City Of Troy was jaded having been 'on the go' since the 2000 Guineas but, for a horse who moved so beautifully on turf and with such an impressive stride, dirt was not for him.

It was a great shame and, on reflection, the near-miss of Iron Horse Giant's Causeway in the millennium year was an unbelievable effort - beaten a neck by Tiznow - and remains the closest Coolmore/Ballydoyle have come to victory in the meeting's climax.

Who stands out on form at Keeneland?

The turf races are a different matter, especially the Mile and the Turf in which European-trained horses have proved dominant.

Typically, this year's challenge looks very strong though, again, one must consider that some have endured lengthy campaigns.

Overall, O'Brien's horses haven't drawn too well but it's quite possible to win from a wide position as long as the pace is strong (which it normally is) and Ethical Diamond came from 14 of 14 to win last year's Turf.

Willie Mullins will have trained him to peak again and, this year, he's in stall one along the inside which might not be so ideal for a hold-up horse. 

Moreover, the opposition is stiff including Bay City Roller and Diamond Necklace who finished second and third in the Arc, Irish Champion Stakes winner Hotazhell and Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini who ran better than his finishing placing suggested in the Arc.

The fact that Ryan Moore is on board the latter as opposed to DIAMOND NECKLACE may not be significant as Christophe Soumillon rode the filly last time, and when she won the Prix Marcel Boussac last autumn, and has admitted a great affection for her.

The dual French Classic winner ran a mighty race at Longchamp from a really bad draw and, likely to be dropped out early, she may be good enough.

The Mile was won by NOTABLE SPEECH last year and, on other occasions, Godolphin's star has proved well suited by turning tracks across the Atlantic. Last month he won the Woodbine Mile for the second year running.

William Buick's mount can sometimes run a bit flat but he has exhilarating acceleration when on song and looks the one to beat again.

BLUE BOLT must be on the shortlist for 'Racehorse Of The Year' (ahead of Bow Echo and Sun Goddess?) after a brilliant, unbeaten campaign including four Group Ones. Like Diamond Necklace, she needs to overcome stall 12 in the Filly & Mare Turf - and steps up in distance - but is more than up to it providing she is still in top form. 

O'Brien's Precise, a creditable second in the Prix de l'Opera last time, and Chad Brown's improving Kathynmarissa, look the chief threats.

On Friday, the top class LIBERTANGO should take plenty of beating from stall three in the Juvenile Turf Sprint following a wonderful first season which has included victories in the Albany, Lowther and a fine second to the aforementioned Sun Goddess in the Cheveley Park.

The latter will start a warm favourite for the Juvenile Fillies Turf and has dwarfed some good rivals this season both in terms of stature and ability.

This will be the first time that Sun Goddess has tried a mile but it shouldn't be a problem providing, again, she hasn't trained off.

However, she will have to be on her mettle to beat the French filly AMUSINGLY.

By No Nay Never out of a half sister to Frankel, Amusingly was an unlucky loser in  the Prix D'Aumale over a mile and then dropped back to seven furlongs to inflict an impressive defeat on male rivals in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

At Longchamp, Francis-Henri Graffard's charge swept past the runaway National Stakes winner FOLSOM BLUES, who must be a strong contender for the Juvenile Turf up against Ballydoyle's Florida Bay, Haffner, Man's Best Friend and, most significantly, Great Barrier Reef.

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