Breeders’ Cup Festival 2024: Best of the British and Irish Challenge

The Ladbrokes Champion Chase and Charlie Hall Chase light up the domestic racing scene on Saturday. However, for glitz, glamour, and an unreasonable amount of razzmatazz, we must turn our attention stateside. Saturday evening sees the 2024 edition of the Breeders Cup Meeting descend upon the California track of Del Mar, presenting a sizzling 10-race card of action – including a mighty nine Grade 1 contests.

As ever, the home team will try their utmost to cling on to the riches on offer. Never ones to shirk a battle, the British and Irish trainers send a strong battalion across the sea in a bid to record a famous success or two. Here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, we pick out the four contenders who boast the best chance of striking gold in the land of the stars and stripes.

Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf – Del Mar, 21:01

Beginning with Kalanisi in 2000 and ending with Auguste Rodin in 2023, British and Irish trainers have claimed this prize 17 times in the current century. That stat suggests that, whilst the US may be tough to beat on dirt, European contenders hold the edge on grass.

Emily Upjohn, Luxembourg, Jayarebe, Wingspan, and Rebel’s Romance set out in pursuit of the £3,622,047 in prize money in 2024. Of that quintet, our vote goes to Godolphin’s globe-trotting superstar Rebel’s Romance.

This son of Dubawi made a rare appearance on British shores when finishing a solid third in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes this season – finishing ahead of Luxembourg – but is a proven top-level performer on the international stage. A winner of 14 of his 21 starts, those victories include top-level successes in Germany, the US, the UAE and Japan. Much too good for the field in the 2022 edition of this, he bounced back to winning ways in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin last time out and can become the third dual winner of this event.

• Recommended Bet - Rebel’s Romance to win @ 11/4 with BetGoodwin

Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic – Del Mar, 21:41

Next up, one of the most anticipated races of the season as a field of 14 does battle over 1m2f on the dirt track. Unsurprisingly, given the unfamiliar surface, this £5m event hasn’t been so kind to those traversing the Atlantic. Since 2000, the US has kept the prize on home soil every year but one – John Gosden’s 2008 winner, Raven’s Pass, being the only horse to buck the trend.

Those looking to side with a British or Irish runner this year have only one option – but it’s a good one. Aidan O’Brien has had some talent through the Ballydoyle doors over the years but believes that City Of Troy is the best of them all; that’s some statement, but the colt is doing his bit to live up to that billing. Having already landed the Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse, and Juddmonte International, he bids to end his career with the ultimate victory.

The dirt surface is, of course, a question mark, but on pedigree, he has every chance to handle it. Sire Justify landed the Triple Crown on dirt, whilst grand sire Scat Daddy and great grandsire Johannesburg were also top-level winners on the mud. Handed a nice starting stall in three, he may take some stopping if breaking smartly.

• Recommended Bet - City Of Troy to win @ 7/4 with BetGoodwin

Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Del Mar, 22:25

Back to the turf for our third selection and another race where the British and Irish have enjoyed considerable success. Having claimed 11 of the past 21 editions, the raiding party arrive with high hopes in 2024.

Content flies the flag for Aidan O’Brien, Soprano goes for George Boughey, and Charlie Appleby saddles Beautiful Love and Cinderella’s Dream. Content has the talent to go close if handling this tight track, but this can go to the Boys in Blue.

Beautiful Love isn’t dismissed lightly, but William Buick prefers Cinderella’s Dream, and so do we. Not beaten far when fourth in the 1000 Guineas, this daughter of Shamardal appears to enjoy having the sun on her back in the USA. Two stateside starts have produced two victories, including in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks. Just as impressive when landing a Grade 2 at Saratoga last time, she is fancied to hand Appleby a second success in the race, following the victory of Wuheida in 2017.

• Recommended Bet - Cinderella’s Dream to win @ 5/2 with BetGoodwin

FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile presented by PDJF – Del Mar, 23:45

For the last leg, we turn to an event claimed by a British or Irish trainer in each of the past four years. Responsible for three of the first four in the betting this time around, there’s a strong chance that streak will extend to five.

Hailing from the yard of 2020 winner Aidan O’Brien, Diego Velazquez arrives on the back of a career-best win and merits respect. Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna is also impossible to fault, having won each of her last three, but we again like the Godolphin contender, Notable Speech best of all.

Charlie Appleby will become the most successful trainer in the history of this event if sending out the winner and Notable Speech brings form at last as strong as his three previous heroes. Showing a blistering turn of foot to land the 2000 Guineas, he repeated the trick when slamming the field in the Sussex Stakes. If he can sit just off the pace from his draw in stall 3, it will take a good horse to deny his acceleration in the straight.

• Recommended Bet - Notable Speech to win @ 3/1 with BerGoodwin

A £1 Lucky 15 returns £399.78 with BetGoodwin if all four horses win.

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