As the racing World builds up to the Breeders Cup from Santa Anita, California starting this afternoon (Friday), I am afraid I still crack a smile when I see they call it the World Thoroughbred Championships when half the races are ruin on dirt (alien to many of the racing jurisdictions), and in November, making them an afterthought to the Europeans whose first classics were run way back in May.
That aside, the prize money is spectacular, the weather and track first class, so no huge surprise to see a half decent European challenge, though as always, I am wary of who has already gone over the top before flying Stateside in the hunt for a few dollars more. For the first time in a few years I am giving it a miss myself (it’s a costly if enjoyable experience), but at least that means I don’t have to try and work my way through the marathon twelve race card, surely overkill even by American standards.
That said, there is a bet or two that look as likely to succeed as anything back home on the rain sodden surface at Newmarket (for example), and after a disappointing weekend last time around, a winner is hopefully overdue for me this Saturday after I watch England beat South Africa in the Rugby World Cup Final first thing (fingers crossed on that one).
Common sense suggests we look for a heady mix of European challenges (heart rules head) and America good things (head rules heart), though whether I have picked out the right ones for us, only time will tell I’m afraid. As someone with a weird sense of humour I simply have to get involved in he 8.10pm (UK time) as any race called the Big Ass Fan’s Breeder’s Cup Mile gets my vote, though the betting suggests it is all over bar the shouting. Omaha Beach has looked a class act all season and was given an unusual prep race over six furlongs when running on strongly last time out here at Santa Anita. The mile is far more up his street to be fair as a son of War Front and he should prove hard to defeat, though good luck to South Korean challenger Blue Chipper who may well outrun his big odds, even in this exalted company.
Magical was going to be my banker of the meeting but thanks to a temperature earlier in the week she hasn’t even travelled, so for European interest, all I can seriously suggest now is an each way bet on Billesdon Brook who is great value at odds of 12/1 or thereabouts. Sean Levey was at a media call last week in Newmarket and seemed pretty bullish that she will stay the mile and a quarter now, and as a daughter of Champs Elysees I may even go further and dare to suggest she could well improve for it and if that is the case, even the short priced favourite Sistercharlie may have to pull out all the stops to fend off the improving Richard Hannon challenger.
Two more races worth talking about and I am hoping to see the in-form Midnight Bissou come home alone under Mike Smith in the Fillies and Mares Distaff at 11.00pm, and I have been told to consider her the banker of the meeting, which leaves us with what I think is a very below par Classic that rounds off the card, complete with over £2.5 million to the winner and due off at 12.44am if I can stay up that late. Bob Baffert is a man you listen to whenever he speaks and he has always insisted that McKinzie is a superstar – but someone needs to remind the horse. Beaten by Mongolian Groom at odds-on last time out he meets that rival on four pounds better terms here which should be enough, but I just cannot see him as any kind of a good thing and will cheer him home (quietly at that time) without the added issue of carrying my money on Sunday morning.
On Tuesday they have some race in Australia or something (Melbourne Cup I think it’s called), though there is a sour taste here in the UK after two of our horses were forced to withdraw after what we see as questionable veterinary procedures. Charlie Appleby took it as diplomatically as you would expect (but then again he still has a runner in the strongly fancied Cross Counter who landed the race last season carrying fifteen pounds less than he is forced to carry in 2019), but poor Hughie Morrison was pretty upset after Marmelo (runner-up last season) was withdrawn.
Legal action may be following so I had best shut up, but suffice to say, here comers yet another argument as to why racing needs a worldwide governing body to set all of the rules regardless of jurisdiction as his UK connections insist he is fit to run, while Racing Victoria disagree after a CT Scan allegedly showed up some issues. It appears to a rank amateur like me to be a question of interpretation of the scan results, but with such huge prize money up for grabs and the possibility other races have been missed to target the horse here, costs have most certainly been incurred and all we can do is watch this space for future developments from the other side of the World.
As for the race itself, I am as confident as I was for the Classic in America but will put forward Japanese raider Mer De Glace as value at 8/1 (each way) after he took the Caulfield Cup with any amount left up his sleeve. An added two pounds seems more than fair in the circumstances, and if he gets home over this trip which is a massive question on breeding, he may well take all the beating.
Away from the racing and just one thing for me to mention – what does everyone else think of Jeremy Irons playing Sir Henry Cecil in a new movie about the legendary Frankel’s lifestory? Most in the industry seem to be very excited about the idea and I suppose I am as well, but I am equally wary of the Hollywood treatment changing facts for fiction and as someone lucky enough to have known Henry thorough various media days, he needs to be treated with the respect he deserves and portrayed sensitively as the genius he was.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Omaha Beach 8.10pm Santa Anita Saturday
Billesdon Brook Each-Way 8.54pm Santa Anita Saturday
Midnight Bissou 11.00pm Santa Anita Saturday
Mer De Glace Each Way 4.00am Melbourne Tuesday
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