Aomori City and William Buick winning at Goodwood in July© Photo Healy Racing
Charlie Appleby could be in possession of all the aces as Aomori City and Al Qudra go for Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf glory in Del Mar.
The Moulton Paddocks handler has an exceptional record at the Breeders’ Cup with his first victory at the Stateside event coming in 2013 in this event with Outstrip.
He has since got his hands on the one-mile contest a further twice with Line Of Duty striking in 2018 and Modern Games landing the spoils the last time the Breeders’ Cup visited Del Mar in 2021.
Modern Games’ success had a dash of controversy as he was scratched in error by the stewards after an incident at the start, before being reinstated to run for ‘purse only’ purposes and excluded from the betting.
Modern Games returned to some boos from disgruntled patrons then, but Appleby is hoping one of his crack pair can spark a joyous return to the California track’s winner’s circle this time around.
“Aomori City and Al Qudra are hard to split on what they have achieved in the Juvenile Turf,” he said.
“Aomori won the Vintage (Stakes at Goodwood) and ran creditably on slower ground in the National Stakes (at the Curragh). He’s neat, he’s sharp and he fits in very well.”
Aomori City is the choice of William Buick, leaving former Godolphin number two James Doyle to once again don the white cap aboard Al Qudra.
The son of No Nay Never will try to reverse Woodbine form with Andrew Balding’s Summer Stakes scorer New Century, but the colt was somewhat unfortunate in running during that Canadian Grade One, with Appleby also able to take comfort from his charge’s two previous defeats of the Qatar Racing-owned son of Kameko.
“Al Qudra was beaten by a nice horse in Canada, which I felt was like his first start (as he had not run since July),” continued Appleby.
“He’s drawn in four and we’re happy with that. He’s trained well.”
Another British handler with two contenders is Hugo Palmer, who has taken both The Waco Kid and Seagulls Eleven on a transatlantic mission following some likeable displays this term.
Seagulls Eleven not only sports the colours of Brighton football club but will also carry the hopes of some of their star players, with the likes of James Milner and Danny Welbeck amongst the colt’s ownership.
“Seagulls Eleven always showed us a little bit more at home and is a bit more highly tried, but he’s actually only the winner of a novice race, despite being third in the National Stakes and second in the Superlative,” said Palmer.
“He showed such incredible gate speed in the National Stakes and he’s definitely better on faster ground. He just bogged down in the Dewhurst on soft ground (fourth) and was possibly on the unfavourable bit of the track.”
Meanwhile, The Waco Kid landed the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket when last seen and has built up plenty of experience this term.
“The Waco Kid has just improved all season and with every run has got better, which has been exciting,” continued Palmer.
“After his last run there were two Group Ones left in Europe and no Group Twos and if you add the value of the two Group Ones together and double it, you don’t get to the Breeders’ Cup (value), so it was relatively easy to persuade the owners to go to Del Mar.
“Both of the horses we brought out here I feel are crying out for the mile.”
This race has been won by Aidan O’Brien the last two years and it is Henri Matisse who is tasked with making it three in a row.
Deeply exciting when winning his first three, his form has somewhat tapered off of late, but that is not dissuading the master of Ballydoyle who is predicting a Stateside resurgence.
He said: “We think he’ll bounce back. The ground was a little bit soft in Longchamp and I put blinkers on him when I shouldn’t have.
“He was a little bit immature when he got to the front in the National Stakes and it was probably a kneejerk reaction to put blinkers on him that quick – I should have left them alone. He got tightened up early on at Longchamp and it frightened him a little bit, so I think it was more my fault than his.
“He came out of the race very well and that’s why we decided to come here – lovely ground and a flat track. We think it will do him good and we’ll learn a lot about him and he will learn a lot.
“He’s drawn wide, so I think Ryan will take his time on him, but he’s a horse who has shown he doesn’t mind coming from the back.”
Hopes of a European winner in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf appear to rest firmly on the Ballydoyle handler’s shoulders with O’Brien responsible for leading fancy Lake Victoria and able second string Heavens Gate.
The former arrives unbeaten and having proven her versatility by winning Group Ones at both six and seven furlongs of late, she now bids for a third straight success at the highest level – this time at a mile.
O’Brien continued: “She’s very good. What she’s done this year has been exceptional.
“Ryan thought she could run in the Fillies’ Mile but the lads decided that if she was to go over a mile this year, this would be lovely for her. It’s a lovely, flat track, she’s a filly with a lot of class, so we’re looking forward to seeing her run.”
On Heavens Gate, he added: “She’s been working well and her last piece of work was very good.
“I remember when Ryan rode her first time at Navan, he said she felt like a filly that wanted seven furlongs or a mile.
“We never went to seven until the last day and then she won that. She’s a big, hardy filly and I’m very happy with her and she could run a big race.”
