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Kind draws for Believing and Luxembourg
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Extremely talented City Of Troy hasa big chance in an open race
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Ground and track could suit Content and Diego Velazquez
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She has run some good races in defeat but hasn't had much luck in-running since winning the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh back in July. Having said that she deserves to take her place here and the draw has been kind to us in one. Obviously, there isn't much between her and Bradsell but Cogburn could be the one we all have to beat.
A game winner of the Coronation Cup when we made all back in May and I thought he ran well in the Irish Champion stakes behind Economics and Auguste Rodin to finish a little over 2l sixth. They just quickened past him in the last couple of hundred yards there and the step back up to 1m4f will help here. Being draw in four is also a help.
Rebel's Romance stets a decent standard here, but my lad will run well. The 3-year-old filly, Wingspan, will enjoy getting back on some decent ground and is not without a chance either.
There has been a lot of talk about him taking to the dirt and the truth is we don't know and wont until after the race. What we do know is that he is an extremely talented horse and the best middle-distance 3-year-old colt this side of the Atlantic.
The form of his win in the Juddmonte has been advertised with Bluestocking going on to win the Arc and Calandagan running well in the Champion Stakes.
Actually, the 3-year-olds look to have a strong hand here though and the Travers winner, Fierceness, and the Japanese Dirt Classic winner, Forever Young, are just some of the fancied runners in a open race.
I was due to ride Ylang Ylang but with her withdrawal I have switched to Content. She ran a cracker in the Irish Oaks on her first try over 12f and turned the Curragh form around with You Got to Me when landing the Yorkshire Oaks in August. We tried her in a hood for the first time in the l'Opera but left them off in Ascot when she never got into the race on bad ground. She really appreciated the better ground at the Curragh and York and I'm expecting the same here.
This is a very strong race with the Guineas winner, Notable Speech, outstanding 3-year-old filly, Porta Fortuna and the Foret winner, Ramatuelle, all lining up. Diego Velazquez is two from two since dropping back to 8f and a tight track like Del Mar could suit him. Like I said it's a good race but he'll go well from stall four.
Timeform Verdict
City of Troy is the highest-rated horse in Britain and Ireland on Timeform ratings and he looks a very intriguing runner now switched to dirt for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He was an impressive winner of the Derby and his form since stacks up well, too, particularly his win in the Juddmonte International at York, beating Calandagan, who ran a cracker in the Champion Stakes, and also having subsequent Arc heroine, Bluestocking, back in fourth.
Whether City of Troy will be as effective on dirt only time will tell, but he might not to be at his brilliant best to beat these rivals in what doesn't look the strongest edition of the Classic, and from a form perspective he's hard to oppose. He's a most intriguing runner for his sire, Justify, who famously won the Triple Crown.
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