Expect a stampede across the Atlantic from Europe for next year's 26th Breeders Cup at Santa Anita in California. A record-breaking performance from Team Europe this time around, with five winners - four of them British-trained - will ensure that. Overseas raiders relished the conditions on the West Coast, and the new-look, Pro-Ride artificial track, replacing the traditional, but now discredited dirt surface, proved a real hit.  Frankie Dettori's win on Ravens Pass capped a stunning weekend |
Indeed, after Britain's Ravens Pass defeated US Horse of the Year - and artificial track specialist - Curlin into fourth place in the $5m Classic race, staged on the Pro-Ride, the joke was that the Americans would soon be tearing it up. The races on that surface are "their races", but the overseas challengers adapted much better than anyone expected. It is similar to what is on offer at the new course at Dundalk in Ireland, where Muhannak, the Ralph Beckett-trained winner of the Breeders Cup Marathon (also staged on the sandy track) enjoyed a warm-up success in September. Officials should not have too much problem getting interest in their races in future. Ironically the Irish contingent, brimming with Aidan O'Brien-trained talent, had a disappointing time, with Henrythenavigator, runner-up to Ravens Pass in the Classic, their best result. O'Brien has been running riot across Europe this season, notably in Britain where "Henry" and Duke Of Marmalade (ninth of 12 in the Classic) have been particularly prolific. As a result, disappointingly few of the very best, the Group One prizes, have stayed at home, but those reversals were easily forgotten in the sunshine at Santa Anita. The previous record for Breeders Cup winners by the whole of Europe, let alone by Britain, was three wins, but that was surpassed this year in a style that was nothing short of sensational.  | 606: DEBATE |
Ravens Pass, a brilliant miler, positively gobbled up the extra distance he was asked to confront under Frankie Dettori in the 1� mile Classic, completing a double for the jockey and trainer John Gosden. Earlier, their two-year-old Donativum, who had previously beaten Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House at Newmarket, pipped O'Brien's Westphalia in the Juvenile Turf. It was fantastic stuff, but the prize for the ride of the $25.5m meeting went to Ryan Moore, partnering Sir Michael Stoute's Conduit in the Turf race. The jockey appeared late and wide, pouncing just as Eagle Mountain looked certain of victory, with perfect timing. Moore, the season's top rider in Britain, riding at a Breeders Cup fixture for the first time this year, is - in case anyone had any doubts - truly world class. The fifth European win came via French filly Goldikova, brilliant winner of the Mile, and already on course to return to Santa Anita next year. She will not, I suspect, be the only one. The bad news, however, is in two years the 27th Breeders Cup will be at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, where locals would rather cancel racing than change the artificial track from dirt. So, Europe must take advantage in 2009.
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