PREVIEW: Trick or treat tonight at The B(l)eeders’ Cup

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Bleeders’ Cup – it certainly can be for many punters with shock winners who put blind faith in the European trained runners often to see their bets turn into more of a trick than a treat.

It’s tough and will continue to be so. The fact that European trained horses win any race at the Breeders’ Cup is a minor miracle in itself given there are so many factors against them:

Fighting the Americans on home soil
The climate change
The lengthy travelling involved

….. and probably most important of all the fact that it comes right at the end of the domestic flat season and very few horses are campaigned specifically with the Breeders’ Cup in mind but it’s still rather seen as a bonus prize.

We’re back at Santa Anita for 13 Championship races – the first four of which come up on Friday evening.

Even allowing for the obstacles highlighted above Aidan O’Brien has an amazing record in the BC – he sits in third place in the all-timer trainer list which is no mean feat.

His challenge this year suffered a blow with the news that Magician will be unable to defend his crown in tomorrow’s Breeders’ Cup Turf which leaves him with a raiding party of five – two of which run tonight both partnered by Ryan Moore.

War Envoy runs for O’Brien in the opening Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and is prominent in the market but is an unknown over tonight’s one mile trip.

O’Brien’s best chance of the night might be with Qualify in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at 10.50. She hasn’t fared best in stall 14 but won a Group 3 in good fashion at the Curragh last time and this looks a wide open renewal.

Goldencents will be many peoples banker on Friday in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at 10.05pm.

He’s a confirmed front runner who made all to win this last year and has bagged the number one berth in the draw.

Very much a treat for backers on Halloween night.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK GOLDENCENTS (10.05 Santa Anita) at around 5/6 for 12 points with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: LOSS 14.67 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321