The Breeders Cup (Grade 1) Day 1

Day 1 of the much anticipated Breeders Cup meeting has 5 races with 1 Grade 2 and four Grade 1’s.

European runners are thin on the ground only featuring in the two turf contests, the Juvenile Turf for Colts and Geldings and the The Juvenile Fillies Turf. No runners in the Marathon, Dirt Mile or the feature event the Distaff for Fillies and Mares. It’s not surprising as their all on Dirt a surface the Europeans have no experience of and generally are not bred for.

The Turf will be quick with a prediction of Firm in the going description and even though the summer and ground were good in Europe its unlikely they’ll have experienced anything quite as fast as this surface will be. In the Colts race Aidan O’Brien runs two, Giovanni Boldini (Ryan Moore) and Wilshire Boulevard (William Buick) while Charlie Appleby relies on Outstrip (Mike Smith) for Godolphin and Richard Hannon runs Shamshon for the Al Thani operation. Of the O’Brien pair bookings suggest Ryan Moore (who would have had first call) opted for Giovanni Boldini therefore giving him preference but the more experienced of the pair is Wilshire Boulevard and his form has a slight edge on his stable companion through his beating of Oklahoma City on a good to firm surface at the Curragh in the Anglesey Stakes.  Outstrip didn’t build on the Champagne victory when running one paced in the Dewhurst to be third while Shamshon is certainly stepping up on a mere fifth in the Mill Reef.

Of the home team Bobby´s Kitten stands out as a 6 1/2 L winner of the Pilgrim Stakes but at bigger prices Wayne Catalano’s  Poker Player who beat Bashart from the Todd Pletcher stable a length in the Bourbon Stakes at Keenland provides a decent each way opportunity.

In the Fillies race the French trained Vorda will be all the rage after taking the G1 Cheveley Park last time out but the G1 Fillies Mile winner Chriselliam and Al Thakhira the Rockfel winner will also vie for favouritism on European bookmakers lists. My Conquestadory leads the home team and shouldn’t be underestimated having won the G1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keenland.

In the Dirt mile Verrazano and Goldencents should battle it out with preference for the former.

The Distaff is a cracking contest with a small but select field. Royal Delta will try to defend her crown with against the three year olds Princess Of Sylmar, Beholder and Close Hatches. The Princess may lift the crown.

Recommendations : Juvenile Turf Poker Player  12/1 EW

Dirt Mile Verrazano 3/1 WIN 

Juvenile Fillies Turf Vorda 4/1 WIN

Distaff Princess Of Sylmar 3/1 WIN