Charlie Appleby is readying a strong team for the Breeders' Cup, headed by globetrotting millionaire Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Jane Chapple-Hyam has given the green light for dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) to make the trip to Keeneland next month.
Appleby boasts a tremendous record at the meeting, winning six Breeders' Cup races from just 11 attempts and he has some proven travellers bidding to enhance that record this year.
Leading the charge is last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games, who has secured Classic honours this season and is reported to have bounced out of his British Champions Day assignment well when second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.
“Modern Games has come out of the race in great form–tough as teak he is,” said Appleby. “He put up one hell of a performance on ground that was right against him. William [Buick] said right from the get-go he was up against it, but he's brave as a lion and will head to Keeneland.”
The Godolphin handler landed the GI Breeders' Cup Turf with Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) 12 months ago and although he is siding against asking his Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to line up in Lexington, in Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), he has two horses who have already been and done it on the international stage this term.
He said, “You've got to know your horses and know their characteristics and how they will be travelling and adapting to a different style of training over there.
“We've had a few who haven't done it, like Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year, but thankfully a lot of the horses we've chosen in the past have been able to adapt to the change of scenery and training.
“The 2-year-olds will be the ones with the question marks, but the two we are intending to take over in Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) have plenty of experience under their belt now.”
Also entering the equation for Kentucky is Creative Force (Ire), who was a gallant third in defence of his G1 British Champions Sprint crown at Ascot. The son of Dubawi (Ire) has run only three times this season and could take his place in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
“Creative Force is a possible,” said Appleby. “He has low mileage this year and as we know, at this time of year the ground can be a bit on the slower side so fingers crossed.
“I was delighted with him [at Ascot], he was just unfortunate they raced in two different groups and he got caught on the wing and perhaps over-raced if anything. William felt he would have been better with a bit of cover.”
Also bound for the Breeders' Cup is dual Group 1 heroine Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {Ire}), who is set to be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale during the elite Sceptre Sessions in December. She will bid for a third Group 1 win before that when lining up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Chapple-Hyam said, “She is fine and galloped good at Chelmsford on Tuesday. She went about seven furlongs with William Buick on board. She is going to run in the [GI Breeders' Cup] Filly & Mare [Turf] over about nine and a half [furlongs].
“She scoped dirty after Newmarket and needed a bit of time, like humans, a course of antibiotics and a bit of doctoring, and she has come good.
“She has an entry for Hong Kong but she has got the sales at Tattersalls–the December Mares' Sale–and it all depends on whether the new purchaser will want to run her in the Hong Kong Mile or whether they would want her with me or another trainer.”
The trainer added, “Some people have their own trainer, you never know. If a stud farm got her, I would imagine she will go straight to stud, but if there was a racing partnership and stud got her, they might want to see her run in their colours at Sha Tin. You just never know.
“At least you know she will get fantastic stallions for the rest of her career and go to a fantastic stud farm and be very well looked after. It is great to know that going forward. She will get lovely accommodation. In the meantime, we will start to make arrangements for Keeneland.”
Gary and Linnet Woodward's G2 Challenge S. hero Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) is also pointing for the Breeders' Cup, although it is not certain he will gain a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. A winner of the G3 John Of Gaunt S. at Haydock in May and the G3 Criterion S. at Newmarket in July, the 6-year-old entire does offer pertinent form, as he was only 1 1/4 lengths behind multiple Group 1 winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G2 City Of York S. in August. That rival is also set to contest the Mile.
“He seems in good form and he is nice and fresh for this time of year,” said trainer Charlie Hills. “He ran well at Newmarket and that form behind Kinross is looking better after he won again on Saturday.
“I think that mile on the turn at that track [Keeneland] will be brilliant for him. James Doyle has been booked to ride.”
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