Ryan Moore To Find Form In Keeneland

There is always an air of excitement ahead of Breeders’ Cup night, which takes place at Keeneland on Saturday (4.05-9.35pm), and where Europe will have a decent chance of turning over some of the Americans in their own backyard.

Filly & Mare Turf, Saturday 6.10pm
Moore will also be aiming to make it a memorable night for the Irish in the Filly & Mare Turf (6.10pm) where he partners David Wachman’s 1,000 Guineas winner, Legatissimo (10/11).

Like Golden Horn, connections will be hoping the sun makes an appearance, for despite winning her third Group 1 on yielding last month, she didn’t seem to enjoy deeper mud when beaten on her return back in April.

Let’s not forget Andre Fabre’s 1,000 Guineas winner from last year, Miss France (7/1), who is an each-way possibility on her return to 1m2f. She looked to stay the trip on her only try in the French Oaks last year (beaten under 2l despite being blocked), and she arrives in fine form.

Mile, Saturday 7.30pm
The Mile on turf has a real European theme with the first three in the betting all from the visiting continent: Esoterique (3/1), Make Believe (3/1) and Time Test (4/1). Andre Fabre is responsible for the former pair, where preference is for Make Believe, whose only flop came on fast ground at Royal Ascot, but will love this soft surface – the same kind of ground he won the French 2,000 Guineas on.

Juvenile, Saturday 8.10pm
O’Brien is also represented in the Juvenile with Waterloo Bridge (25/1), who was a Group 2 winner at Royal Ascot over 5f, prior to staying on into second in a valuable sales race over 7f at Newmarket. Like Gleneagles, Waterloo Bridge also goes up in trip (to 1m) and tries dirt, and he’ll certainly need a career best from his wide draw in stall 14.

Breeders’ Cup Turf, Saturday 8.50pm
One who will be holding a big chance is the Derby and Arc winner, Golden Horn (4/7), who goes for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. John Gosden’s superstar looks to have been allocated a decent enough draw on the inside, from which his jockey, Frankie Dettori, should get him handy as he did in the Arc.

The ground looks set to be the softest he has encountered, though, and while he has won on yielding, connections will be hoping it dries out. If it does, then Golden Horn could fly the flag for Britain, though should a hard season catch up with him in the mud, then Aidan O’Brien’s filly, Found, could take advantage at 7/2.

Beaten 5l by Golden Horn in the Arc, Found never got the clearest of runs at Longchamp, prior to finishing with petrol in the tank, which again was the case a few weeks ago when a late second at Ascot (1m2f).

Both the ground and trip will be perfect at Keeneland, and Ryan Moore will look to put matters right.

Classic, Saturday 9.35pm
The big race of the night is the Classic, in which Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore team up with Gleneagles (12/1), who needs to bounce following his disappointing sixth in the QEII a few weeks ago.

O’Brien takes a gamble upping him in trip (to 1mf) on dirt for the first time, conditions which didn’t suit his sire, Galileo, who was only sixth in this race back in 2001.

Recommended Bets
Plenty on the menu, but two catch the eye at value odds. The first is Found in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, who will enjoy this ground more than Golden Horn, while Make Believe will also enjoy the mud in the Mile.

*Prices correct at time of publication