I walked into the sea wearing little but my City Of Troy gilet looking for answers in the Breeders’ Cup…

1 month ago 9

IF he does it the feat will be history making and history defying, and one that would leave Coolmore Godfather John Magnier on top of the world.

But the simple truth is before the event no-one knows whether City Of Troy can land Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic on the Del Mar dirt.

a man in a black vest that says city of troy

Aidan O’Brien is desperate for his first win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic[/caption]

For trainer Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore ‘lads’, this is the ultimate moment of truth.

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Since the year 2000 they have tried to bag a Classic, and it has become their Holy Grail.

But despite sending sixteen horses into battle – including legendary sire Galileo, the ‘iron horse’ Giant’s Causeway, Hawk Wing, gorgeous George Washington and So You Think – they have found success elusive.

On Saturday, at 9.41pm live like every Breeders’ Cup race on Sky Sports Racing, that could all change.

On Thursday I walked into the Pacific Ocean just off the Del Mar coast dressed in my City of Troy gillet to pause and think for a moment.

Seas are, of course, associated with chaos. European turf star City Of Troy will face chaos in the Classic that he has never come close to tackling before in his illustrious, Epsom Derby-winning career.

O’Brien has looked under every stone he can to try and prepare his monster for this test of all tests.

He’s taken the son of Justify to Southwell for a day out on that track’s artificial surface. He’s sat US star Jerry Bailey down with Ryan Moore to go over every tactical scenario. He’s talked the talk and walked the walk.

Now it’s down to Troy to deliver.

Gosh I hope he does. Coolmore deserves this. How many other Europeans would take up this challenge? Not many.

Dirt racing is all about the break. About speed of the speed. City Of Troy won’t know what has hit him. But he might just do it. That’s the beauty of all this. He might just do it.

If he does, he’ll have to deny Fierceness from the Todd Pletcher yard and, incidentally, soon to become a Coolmore sire.

The son of City of Light – himself a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero – blew out in the Kentucky Derby, but around that defeat has banged in a Florida Derby and Grade 1 Travers, defeating the magnificent filly Thorpedo Anna who you will see in the Distaff.

Then there is Japanese star Forever Young, the winner of no less than six of his seven starts and a close third in the Kentucky Derby.

As a bet, I think you could do a lot worse than SIERRA LEONE who for me is a cracking each-way proposition.

Stateside people laugh at us Sierra Leone supporters. They say he’s essentially a twicer and doesn’t put it all in. Everyone has given up on Sierra Leone. Not me!

Sierra Leone is a Grade 1 winner who was third in the Travers, third in the Belmont and second in the Kentucky Derby. He’s at long odds and should get a fast pace to run at. He might just fall in.

Away from the Classic, a fabulous night of racing awaits us, and that includes a belting Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech is up against Porta Fortuna, who was runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf at Santa Anita, second in the 1000 Guineas and the winner of the Group 1 Coronation, Falmouth and Matron Stakes.

Carl Spackler is the American turfer not to ignore in the same race, while Diego Velazquez might have more to give at this trip having been dropped in distance.

I’m sticking with NOTABLE SPEECH for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, who are trying to win the Mile for a record fourth time in a row.

The Turf Sprint numbers Bradsell, Believing and Big Evs, although I wonder if filly STAR OF MYSTERY is the value eachway here.

Emily Upjohn and Frankie Dettori tackle REBEL’S ROMANCE in the Turf, a race the latter won in 2022, while Yorkshire Oaks heroine Content bids to get her season back on track in the Filly & Mare Turf.

The local hope WAR LIKE GODDESS might be hard to beat in that contest. She tackled Auguste Rodin in the Turf last year and this is much easier, although be warned she’s a quirky strong traveller that doesn’t always find.

Boy, what a day ahead in California. I just wish the ocean had all the answers. The results could yet leave me all at sea.