William Hill ambassador Jane Mangan is here to preview a jam-packed weekend of action, with Grade 1 Jumps racing at Down Royal as well as the world’s best Flat horses clash at Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup.
Del Mar, Friday
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (12:25am) has been won by a European trainer for the last three years and Aidan O’Brien has six victories in the race, he’s won it with horses like Wrote, Victoria Road and last year’s winner Unquestionable. None of these can compare to Henri Matisse and I think this is one of the best horses he has ever brought out to the race. He will take all the beating in my eyes.
Down Royal, Saturday
Beginning Saturday with the maiden hurdle at 1:00pm, I like the hugely promising Romeo Coolio. I think trainer Gordon Elliott could have any number of winners on the card, he could go through it even! This maiden hurdle is a place has been where he has started with many good horses in the past, the roll of honour including Envoi Allen, Mighty Potter and last year’s winner Down Memory Lane, Romeo Coolio was second in last year’s Cheltenham Bumper, that is the standout piece of form in this race, and he looks like he will be very hard to beat.
Next at 1:35pm, we have a handicap hurdle and I’m following on the Gordon Elliott theme with his mare Kala Conti. Jockey Carl Millar takes off a useful 7lb in the saddle of this Grade 2 winner, who also ran in Grade 1 company in the juvenile hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. She had the beating of subsequent Grade 1 winner Kargese and I think Kala Conti is very well handicapped off 130, especially with this useful 7lb claimer onboard.
A three-mile handicap chase follows at 2:10pm, where I like the top weight here for Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue, Hascoeur Clermont. It was a very promising run at Cork last time out when finishing second and I think his run style will suit this track. I’d see them using patient tactics given his weight but he’s guaranteed to get the trip. With that recent run under his belt, I fancy him to defy top weight here for the in-form Cromwell team.
The feature event at Down Royal is the Champion Chase (2:40pm) and I can’t see past the market leader Gerri Colombe. He has never been outside of the first two in his life – sporting 10 wins in 13 races and he won this race on his reappearance last season. I saw him working after racing at Navan last week and I think he left the impression on me that he’s going to hit his prime this year, which is scary to say about a horse who finished second in a Cheltenham Gold Cup last year. It’s Gerri Colombe for me.
The Grade Two Chase for second-season novices at 3:20pm has assembled an interesting field and I like Pinkerton to overturn the favourite Found A Fifty. He had a run on the Flat at Navan and he looks very favourably treated in these conditions. On ratings he’s 8lbs inferior to Found A Fifty but receives 14lbs from the favourite. There’s no doubt the favourite is a better horse, and this is Pinkerton’s only chance to get the better of him, but I think he will on Saturday
Del Mar, Saturday
From Down Royal to Del Mar! Starting with the Breeders’ Cup Turf (9:01pm) in which I like Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe. This looks a fabulous and deep renewal of the Turf, with Emily Upjohn taking on Rebel’s Romance, as well as the Ballydoyle pair Luxembourg and Wingspan. However, I think the Meehan runner is going to be hard to beat. He’s a strong, three-year-old colt with a good draw in gate five, and he’s the one for me.
Following the conclusion of British Champions Day, Irish Champions Weekend and Arc weekend, it’s safe to say the best three-year old colt in Europe is City Of Troy. I don’t think any horse of that calibre has contested the Breeders’ Cup Classic (9:41pm) for Europe before, especially when they have been targeted at the race. Galileo, Gleneagles and several good horses for Aidan O’Brien have contested the race in the past but it has been an afterthought, this has always been the plan for City Of Troy. The Americans suggest that this is the first year that a European horse could win as their side looks to lack depth and whilst the Japanese horse Forever Young deserves respect, I don’t suspect he could have won the Derby and the Juddmonte International in the manner that City Of Troy did. For me, this is the most important ride of Ryan Moore’s career, it doesn’t get bigger than this.
Twelve horses go to post for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (11:45pm), and I like the 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech. This horse has the ability to dominate this field, it all depends on what horse turns up on the day as he has been inconsistent this season, but his talent is clear. With Charlie Appleby’s sensational form on American soil this season and I can see Notable Speech returning to his Guineas form and bossing them in the Mile.
