Breeders Cup Meeting - Churchill Downs - 4th/5th November

Some of the finest thoroughbreds in the world descend on Churchill Downs this weekend for the 2011 Breeders Cup. The Americans know how to put on a show and it looks like being a weekend to savour.

Most Stateside focus is on the Classic but the Mile, featuring champion mare Goldikova, will be eagerly awaited here in Europe.

The first selection is, in fact, GOLDIKOVA who will look to end her racing career on an unprecedented high with an unprecedented fourth Breeders Cup Mile title. She has had a strange season, with more seconds than victories; however she has run into some very smart colts and fillies. She has mirrored her previous season, running at Longchamp twice, Deauville twice and Royal Ascot, all in Group One company.

In her three group one wins, she has defeated Saphresa, the Sun Chariot Stakes winner, and Cirrus Des Aigles, the QIPCO Champions Stakes winner. Her defeats have also come up against multiple Group One winners in Immortal Verse, Dream Ahead and Canford Cliffs. She still sets an immense standard, and I have her 4 lbs clear of the field. At the current prices she looks value.

Roger Varian is a trainer in great form at the minute. He registered his first ever Group One winner in NAHRAIN, an undefeated daughter of Selkirk, who seems to thrive over the mile and a half trip. She won well in France getting the upper hand on the French trained Announce, who will reoppose once more. Although the previous winning distance was a nose, I expect her to come on from that run and confirm the form more emphatically on this occasion, with the former French and now American stationed Stacelita looking the most likely danger.

The Juvenile Turf looks a muddling encounter, with nothing stand out like Uncle Mo, and his lightning fast fractions last year. It could pay to side with the Europeans and, in particular, the English horses Caspar Netcher and FARRAAJ. As mentioned already trainer Roger Varian is in good form, as is his two year old colt Farraaj.

The form of his last race is working out very well indeed. He finished second to the Richard Hannon trained Crius, however the third, Zip Top, finished second in the Racing Post Trophy, and the fourth, Crusade, won the Middle Park Stakes, with even the fifth Letsgoroundagain, winning a listed race next time out. Caspar Netcher has had a consistent season, winning the Gimrack and The Mill Reef Stakes, with game efforts in the Middle Park, Richmond and Windsor Castle Stakes as well. They both look overpriced at around the 7/1 mark, and providing things go well in running, they could prove more than a handful for their friends across the pond.

The Turf race is one traditional happy hunting ground for the Europeans (it was won last year by Brian Meehan’s Dangerous Midge and the year before by the Sir Michael Stoute trained Conduit) and this year looks no exception. Stoute has another promising chance with Sea Moon and Aidan O’Brien has Await the Dawn and St Nicholas Abbey, but they may all be chasing home the classy French filly Sarafina, who although drawn on the wrong side, stayed on for seventh in the Arc, after a progressive season. Finishing first or second in all runs, she dominated over the mile and a half trip, her most impressive winning the Prix Niel, beating a useful field including St Nicholas Abbey and winning under a hands and heels ride from Cristophe Lemaire. Much like Goldikova, this animal is all class, and I can already see her coming up on the snaff on the outside, collaring Sea Moon on the Churchill Downs line!

Breeders Cup Mile – Goldikova (Nap)

Breeders Cup Turf - Sarafina

Breeders Cup Classic - Uncle Mo

Breeders Cup Filly and Mare - Nahrain

Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf - Farraaj

The Yorkshireman - Jack Milner