AIDAN O’BRIEN is adamant the US horses “can’t go quick enough” to worry his superstar City Of Troy in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Derby winner added to his Group 1 trophy case with a very tough win in the Juddmonte at York last week.
City Of Troy (right) was an impressive winner of the Juddmonte at York[/caption]He was forced to do things the hard way off the front, but he battled on well and was pulling double crossing the line.
An audacious bid for the Breeders’ Cup Classic is up next, via a workout at Southwell, and O’Brien is certain that the US horses won’t be able to get City Of Troy out of his comfort zone.
O’Brien told Racing Post: “You couldn’t go fast enough for this horse. No pace is ever quick enough for him.
“That’s very unusual and, when you combine that with the fact he never gets tired, it’s highly unusual. He’s unbelievably determined and just wants to keep going.
“When he goes to America for the Classic, that will be the hottest pace he’s ever faced, so it’s going to be very interesting – but they can’t go quick enough for him.”
City Of Troy is 4-1 second-favourite for the Classic behind Fierceness, who won the Grade 1 Travers last time and is the best three-year-old in the States.
O’Brien has won 18 races at the Breeders’ Cup but is yet to win the Classic.
He suffered heartbreak in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic when George Washington fractured a leg during the race.
The last horse not trained in the US to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic was the Gosden-trained Raven’s Pass in 2008.
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