Aidan O’Brien has won most big races multiple times but his quest for a first Breeders’ Cup Classic continues after City Of Troy could finish only eighth in the $7 million race on dirt last night.
The Derby winner lost a length out of the stalls and was on the back foot thereafter behind a ferocious pace set by seven horses contending the lead to the first bend. They even set the fastest half mile for a Classic in Breeders’ Cup history.
Even when City Of Troy switched to the outside, and began to close up out of the back straight, he flattened out in the home stretch and O’Brien’s dirt-bred son of Justify was never able to threaten, finishing some way behind the Chad Brown-trained winner, Sierra Leone.
Before the race all the talk was of City of Troy, but Ryan Moore, who survived an injury scare after being unseated in the stalls earlier in the day, would have known his fate a long way out. Rather than breaking the hoodoo and joining the all-time greats, City of Troy became O’Brien’s 18th failure in the race.
It was, however, a different story for Europe on the turf at the 41st Breeders’ Cup. Ralph Beckett has had his best domestic season, won an Arc in France and last night his cup properly spilled over in Del Mar when Starlust, a horse who has thrived in training here all week, swept through to win the Turf Sprint under a brilliant ride from Rossa Ryan.
The pre-race drama of Moore being unseated in the stall by Believing, a late scratch, was matched by the stewards’ inquiry, which Starlust had to survive after sweeping up the inside from almost last to first to snatch victory from Motorius.
The Sprint was the one turf race in which the US had a red-hot favourite, Cogburn, but he went so fast in front he was cooked a furlong out and set it up for Beckett’s colt. Starlust was last and off the bridle early on but Ryan, fresh from his Arc win, went the shortest way then weaved his way through, but not without bumping a retreating Isivunguvungu in the process, giving trainer and jockey a tense few minutes.
When asked if his pony-racing background had come in handy, Ryan joked: “It’s just like Dingle all over again. It wasn’t the plan, but Ralph left it to me and filled me with confidence. I wasn’t worried being off the bridle after two furlongs because he always comes good two out. It was one of those days when we had luck on our side.”
It was Starlust’s 10th run of the season. “He went to Dubai and treated it like he was on holiday,” said Beckett, who won the Breeders’ Cup Marathon 16 years ago. “But he ran well in the Nunthorpe and was unlucky in the Abbaye. What a ride. I told him not to be afraid to burrow down the insider. He improves every month and he’s blossomed.”
European horses continued their domination of the turf races when international jet-setter Rebel’s Romance maintained Charlie Appleby’s stunning record at the meeting. His strike rate was 10 winners from 20 runners and Rebel’s Romance was already on the scoresheet for him when he won the Turf two years ago.
After a number of races in which the pace collapsed late on because of the early speed, in the Turf they crawled and, aware of this, William Buick went forward on the home bend first time around. It proved a race-winning move and he was just able to hang on from the Japanese pair Rousham Park and Shahryar.
“I sensed they were getting a soft lead up front and I was three wide in no mans’ land but when he got to the front he got into a lovely rhythm, when he travels powerfully but within himself. He’s amazing, he always finds a way.”
The six-year-old is a remarkable gelding, having won in Dubai, Hong Kong, Europe and the United States. “He’s an international star,” said Appleby. He draws all the attention. You know with a horse like that he’s always going to give his best, so he’s easy to watch. A year ago he clipped heels at Saratoga and lost his confidence but we had to build him up, now he’s in routine of winning and it takes a good one to knock him off his peg.”
The race was, however, marred by the death of Jayarebe, Brian Meehan’s Royal Ascot winner, who suffered a cardiac issue while pulling up.
