General / Andrew Hughes / 31 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Our racing cup runneth over this week with high quality action everywhere you look. Andrew Hughes brings us the pick of a packed week of racing

"Aidan O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle is the favourite for the meeting’s main event (the Breeders' Cup Classic) with his main opposition likely to come from the super-mare Zenyatta, undefeated in thirteen starts

Sunday November 1

Cork

2:25 EBF Fund Novice Hurdle
A Grade Three race over three miles that is likely to feature a couple of decent five-year-olds, most notably Edward O'Grady's Warne.

2:55 Cork Grand National Handicap Chase
A three-and-a-half mile slog through the mud for some closely matched stayers including last year's winner Alickadoo.

3:25 EBF Novice Chase
A Listed event featuring a small field of young chasers with potential, the pick of which is Edward O'Grady's Catch Me.

Leopardstown

3:10 November Handicap
A big field of staying handicappers will line up to tackle this stamina-sapping two miles. Top class hurdler Al Eile is an intriguing entry.

Saint-Cloud

1:00 Criterium International
A race of the highest class, won by Bago and Dalakhani in the past, this is a Group One for two-year-olds featuring some lightly raced types including the undefeated Rosanara for the Alain de Royer-Dupre stable.

Tuesday November 3

Exeter

2:30 Haldon Gold Cup
This Grade Two chase run over the dramatic undulations of the Exeter course is an autumn favourite. The pick of those entered at this stage is Celebration Chase winner, Twist Magic.

3:00 Novices Chase
A race that has been won by some decent horses in the past. Amongst the entries is the progressive five-year-old chaser Five Dream from the Paul Nicholls yard.

Wednesday November 4

Kempton

8:20 Floodlit Stakes
A mile-and-a-half Listed race that has attracted some high quality entries including the in-form Tastahil for Barry Hills and four Goldolphin horses including lightly raced three-year-old Peligroso

Friday November 6

Santa Anita

9:45 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mares Sprint
The Breeders' Cup is back in California and this is the opening Grade One race on the first day's card, a seven-furlong contest on the Pro-Ride surface for fillies and mares.

10:23 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
A mile-and-a-half event confined to two-year-old fillies for which Todd Pletcher's undefeated Devil May Care is the pick of the entries.

11:02 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mares Turf
The race that Ouija Board made her own for which there are three British raiders entered although Henry Cecil's Nassau winner Midday is the only one likely to line up.

11:45 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic
A nine-furlong contest that is the first preference for John Gosden's Rainbow View but she faces some stiff opposition including the highly rated Careless Jewel.

Saturday November 7

Doncaster

3:15 November Handicap
This famous Heritage Handicap is the pick of this end-of-season meeting, a twelve-furlong event that is bound to feature a competitive field of tightly-matched handicappers.

Down Royal

2:30 JNwine.com Champion Chase
A top class Grade One over three miles that last year was the launching pad for Kauto Star's campaign. The Gold Cup winner will not be appearing this time round but the presence of Punchestown Gold Cup winner Notre Petre and Grand National third My Will makes this a must-see race.

Wincanton

2:15 Elite Hurdle
A Grade Two run over two miles that is usually a classy spectacle and is likely to feature some of the fastest hurdlers around.

2:50 Rising Stars Novices' Chase
Another Grade Two, this time over fences that is bound to feature some interesting novices from the powerful West Country yards.

3:25 Badger Ales Trophy
Another popular autumn event, this is a Listed Handicap Chase that usually attracts some decent chasers.

Santa Anita

8:49 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
A Grade One confined to two-year-olds and the pick of the European raiders are likely to be Aidan O' Brien's Beethoven and Brian Meehan's Radiohead.

9:28 Breeders' Cup Mile
Run on the turf course, the entries for this event are dominated by European-based horses including last year's winner Goldikova and Godolphin's Gladiatorus.

10:12 Breeders' Cup Sprint
A frenetic six-furlong dash on the Pro-ride surface. Look out for Bob Baffert's three-year-old speedster, Zensational, winner of its last four starts.

10:57 Breeders' Cup Turf
A twelve-furlong contest in which European horses have traditionally done well. Sir Michael Stoute has two contenders for this, his best hope being King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, Conduit.

11:45 Breeders' Cup Classic
Aidan O'Brien's Rip Van Winkle is the [3.15] favourite for the meeting's main event, with his main opposition likely to come from the super- mare Zenyatta [5.4], undefeated in thirteen starts.

Tags: Breeders' Cup Classic, horseracing betting briefing, Kauto Star, Rip Van Winkle, Santa Anita races