McCoy marching towards 4000

Tony McCoy is riding better than ever at present and now has a total of 3994 winners to his credit. He is almost certain to hit the magic mark of 4000 in the immediate future, and it could even be today, when he has 6 rides at Carlisle. 6 rides - six winners - this seems almost inconceivable - but McCoy has set so many records previously thought impossible that nothing is beyond this man. He rode a fivetimer at this course only a few days ago, and as all of his mounts look likely to start favourite, he ought to have several winners today. We especially like Holywell at 14.30 CET, a smart hurdler making his chasing debut, and Oscar Fortune at 15.05, both for Jonjo O´Neill, while Tap Digit, trained by Lucinda Russell, also has good prospects in the main feature, a listed chase at 15.40. The only race in which McCoy is not riding is the handicap hurdle at 16.10, where we choose Pete (Ferdy Murtagh/ Graham Watters), runner-up over this CD last time.
The N.H.meeting at Huntingdon is very low key but there is some interesting racing at Cork in Ireland, where the Cork Grand National over 3 1/2 miles at 16.25 is the main event. With 19 runners, this looks wide open and several trainers have multiple entries. Willie Mullins has two and Ruby Walsh has rather surprisingly (in our view) chosen Rockyaboya, who like many of the others is totally unproven at this trip. One who will certainly stay well enough and who goes well on this ground is Tarquinius (Gordon Elliott/ Keith Donoghue), and with the stable in great form, we make him the selection. Mullins and Walsh can in any case take the Grade Three novice hurdle at 14.40 with Indevan, who has been first or second on all his starts so far; he is also unproven at the trip, this time 3 miles, but certainly runs as if he will get it.
Leopardstown today stages what is the last flat racing on turf in Ireland this season, with two listed races. As we saw last night in Santa Anita, Aidan O´Brien still has his string in great form and can take the 2yo race at 15.35 with Mekong Rover (Samus Heffernan). He has won all 3 starts so far and although tjhis Opposition is tzougher, can score again with first-time blinkers. In the 7 furlongs race at 15.00 he saddles the lightly-raced Francis of Assisi (Heffernan), but in our view one horse stands out here by miles and that is Big Break (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen). The sister to Fame and Glory was 4th in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and although she has not really lived up to expectations she is much better than listed class; both her career wins have come over this CD and the soft ground is just what she wants.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Bernardelli - Frontier Vic - Turtle Watch
2. Race: Knock A Hand - Many Clouds - Walkabout Creek
3. Race: Oscar Fortune - Splash Of Ginge - Deputy Dan
4. Race: Tap Night - Hazy Tom - Cloudy Too
5. Race: Pete - The Weatherman - Funky Munky
6. Race: Bescot Springs - No Planning - Mister Marker
7. Race: Red Lion Rock - Ski Guide - Chebsey Beau

Breeders Cup this evening

this evening sees the second, and by far the stronger, day of the Breeders Cup and unfortunately we again have very late starting times, owing to the 9 hours time difference between here and California. The Europeans did really well yesterday with 3 British-trained winners (two of them tipped here), so we will be hoping for more of the same. There are European runners in the 4 top races, starting with the Fillies and Mares Turf at 20.43 CET. Here is it quite possible that our two runners Dank (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) and Romantica (André Fabre/ Maxime Guyon) will take the first two places. Dank has been in great form and loves firm ground; she was impressive on her previous U.S. race, easily winning the Beverly D at Arlington and will probably start favourite. However we just prefer Romantica whose owner and trainer have a great record at this meeting and whose dam won this race. She had no chance in the Vermeile last time, but had won a Grup One over this distance at Deauville and looks the one to be on here. Best of the locals are probably ex-Irish Laughig (Alan Goldberg/ Joel Lezcano), unbeaten this year, and Kitten´s Dumplings (Michael Maker/ Joel Rosario), but we will definitely be cheering on the Europeans here.
The Breeders Cup Turf has often been won by the Europeans, but something went wrong last year, when Little Mike (Dale Romans/ Mike Smith) beat Point of Entry (Shug McGaughey/ John Velasquez, and both will be in the line-up at 23.22 tonight. However we regard the Lloyd-Webber filly The Fugue (John Gosden/ William Buick) as the best bet of the meeting. Her very shrewd trainer has chosen this race in preference to the much easier Fillies & Mares race and we think that his confidence will be rewarded. Magician (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore) is an interesting runner; the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner has never run further than 10 furlongs and has been off since Royal Ascot. However this trainer also knows what he is doing, so he must be respected.
The race O´Brien really wants to win however is the Breeders Cup Classic, in which he has failed several times, often unluckily. His son Joseph partners Declaration of War at 1.35 (!) and he apparently worked very well at Southwell recently. He has the class, as he showed at Ascot and York, although it is still unclear how he will act here. Planteur (Marco Botti/ Ryan Moore) is the other European here; he is smart, but with all due respect he would be a big surprise here. Fort Larned (Ian Wilkes/ Brian Hernandez) was a surprise winner last year from Mucho Macho Man (Katherine Ritvo/ Gary Stevens), with Game on Dude (Bob Baffert/ Mike Smith) a disappointing favourite. They all look threatening, especially Game On Dude. who has not lost a race since.
The Breeders Cup Mile at 24.40 sees Olympic Glory (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) tries to repeat his impressive Ascot win a fortnight ago. However this race on firm ground with its sharp bends and short straight is a totally different affair and we shall be amazed if he can beat the American champion Wise Dan (Charles LoPresti/ John Velasquez), who was so convincing last year.
We do not know enough about the American form to be able to judge the other races, but last year´s winners Trinniberg (Bisnath Pardoo/ Ravij Maragh) in the Sprint at 24.01, Mizdirection (M Puype/ Mike Smith) in the Turf Sprint at 22.05 and Groupie Doll (William Bradley/ Ravij Maragh) could all go well again over a CD that clearly suits them. In the 2yo races, the unbeaten juveniles Artemis Agrotera (Michael Hushion/ Joel Lezcano) at 20.05 and Havana (Todd Pletcher/ John Velasquez) at 22.43 could be the right ones.

Breeders Cup starts this evening

The big Breeders Cup fixture is now a two-day meeting and gets under way at Santa Anita in the late evening (European time). The top races are tomorrow, but tonight´s card is also very strong with 5 Breeders Cup races, 4 of them Group One. The exception is the Marathon at 21.45 CET, which is only a Group Two and widely regarded as the weakest of the series. An Argentinian horse won this last year and Ever Rider (Maria Munoz/ Gary Stevens) could be another winner for that country, as the locals- who rarely run over this 1 3/4 mile distance, do not look that strong. London Bridge (Jo Hughes/ Mike Smith) is the only European runner; the only 3yo in the field; he would not be able to win a Group race in Europe, but we think that he could well be placed in this company.

The Europeans have a good record in the Juvenile Turf over a mile at 22.25. Aidan O´Brien has won this the last twice and now saddles 2 runners with good form: Giovanni Boldini (Ryan Moore) and Wilshire Boulevard (William Buick). Richard Hannon runs Shamson (Richard Hughes), while in our opinion Oustrip (Charlie Appleby/ Mike Smith) is the pick of our team and should be well suited by this track. Bobby´ s Kitten (Chad Brown/ Javier Castellano) looks easily the best of the Americans and could be a tough not for the Europeans to crack. There are no European runners in the Dirt Mile at 23.05 and our knowledge of the U.S. form is not good enough for us to make any reliable prediction, although Verrazano (Todd Pletcher/ John Velesquez) is expected to start a warm favourite.

The Juvenile Fillies Turf follows at 23.50 and here again there is a strong European challenge, headed by Vorda (Philippe Sogorb/ Olivier Peslier), winner last time of thr Cheveley Park at Newmarket. The unbeaten Al Thaquira (Marco Botti/ Ryan Moore) and Chrisseliam (Charlie Hills/ Richard Hughes) are the Britzish runners, while Godolphin´s Sky Painter (Kieran McLaughlin/ Luis Saez) is also dangerous, but badly drawn. Finally the Distaff at 00.35 has only a small field, but is still the best race today, with Royal Delta (Bill Mott/ Mike Smith) attempting to win at the meeting for the third time. However she faces strong opposition from her stable companion Close Hatches (Joel Rosario) and especially Princess of Sylmar (Todd Pletcher/ Javier Castellano), who has the best recent form and beat Royal Delta easily enough at Belmont last time.