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25 Oct 2012

Breeders' Cup 2012 Preview

Breeders' Cup 2012 Preview

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien is eyeing success in the bet365 racing online action at the Breeders’ Cup meeting next month at Santa Anita with Excelebration and St Nicholas Abbey both fancied in their respective races at the two day meeting.

Excelebration, who has had to settle for second place on some many occasions in his career behind the great Frankel (favourite in the Champion Stakes betting), showed his class in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes when scoring three lengths ahead of the Group One field on British Champions Day at Ascot. His odds for the Breeders’ Cup Mile were immediately slashed in the States. His biggest challenge will come from American-trained Wise Dan who has been the star miler across the Atlantic this year.

The field should also include Moonlight Cloud who has already had two Group One wins in France during 2012 and also finished second behind the australian sprinting superstar Black Caviar at Royal Ascot in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

In the Breeders’ Cup Turf, St Nicholas Abbey and Joseph O’Brien are aiming to retain the crown they won 12 months ago. The Ballydoyle pair finished three lengths ahead of Sea Moon who does not travel over for the meeting this year.

The European contingent in the race could also include the French filly Shareta. The 2011 Arc runner-up won the Yorkshire Oaks back in August and then followed that up with success at Longchamp in the Group One Prix Vermeille. She could do no better than ninth place though in this year’s Arc which was won by Solemia.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic looks set to be a battle of the American horses. Game on Dude currently heads the market where connections will be hoping he can go one better than in this race in 2011. The five-year old  was just over a length behind the surprise 20/1 winner Drosselmeyer. His campaign so far in 2012 includes three victories including success at the same track in the Grade One Goodwood Stakes on his latest appearance.

Royal Delta was the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic 12 months ago and may now takes on the opposite sex at Santa Anita. She’ll be hoping to repeat what Zenyatta did in 2009 and land the big prize. The four-year old has also had three wins this season so goes into the race in good form. Connections have also given Royal Delta an entry into the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic once again in case they do decide it is a better route for her to try and defend her crown against the fillies and mares.