John Gosden: 'If City Of Troy gets a clear run I doubt they'd catch him - I think he'd outclass them'

John Gosden is convinced City Of Troy can outclass the locals in the Breeders' Cup Classic and etch his name in history, but only if he jumps alertly and avoids the kickback. 

Gosden remains one of only two European trainers to have landed the Classic. He won the race with Raven's Pass in 2008, emulating Andre Fabre who pulled off a massive shock with Arcangues 31 years ago. 

City Of Troy is a top-priced 7-4 for Saturday's showpiece event at Del Mar but will need to break smartly from stall three. When he was asked whether the colt can fulfil Aidan O'Brien's long-standing quest, Gosden replied: "I actually talked to Aidan about it at York. If you get a good run up the straight before the first bend, he can. 

"I won the mile-and-a-quarter race here that used to be called the Del Mar Handicap and, if you’re down on the inside you’ve got to break alertly because if they come across and you get the kickback, that’s a problem. The kickback is the thing.

"With a horse like him, if you get a clear run to the first bend and he is travelling well after it, then I doubt they would catch him. I think he would outclass them. But from where he’s drawn, it’s a matter of how alertly he jumps."

Aidan O'Brien's string sporting City Of Troy jackets at Del Mar Credit: Edward Whitaker

Elaborating on the challenges of transitioning from turf to dirt, Gosden said: "I’ve had many good turf horses. You put them on the dirt and they could work a mile in 1.36 and change. Then in the afternoon they get the kickback and lose their rhythm because they are not used to that amount of dirt hitting them in the face. Ryan [Moore] will be very aware that he has to try to avoid that scenario, but it's easier said than done. 

"But is he the best horse, on quality? Yes, he is."

Gosden's Emily Upjohn, for many, is the best horse in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday. She will be reunited with Frankie Dettori for the first time in well over a year and has been drawn in stall two, the same gate as Enable when she won six years ago. 

Gosden is not afraid to take on the colts, having had the option of the Filly & Mare Turf, and hopes she will handle the tight turns of Del Mar having coped with Wolverhampton on her debut a couple of years ago. 

Frankie Dettori catches up with John Gosden after riding Emily Upjohn on the turf courseCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "She's just had a nice, leisurely look today and she really enjoyed it. We'll probably do a little bit more tomorrow. We're running in the Turf because she wants a mile and a half. A mile and a half round here is like running a mile two and a half in Europe. It’s sharp, it’s quick, it’s fast ground, three bends, short straights, so she needs every inch.

"Her form is solid. They’re very good horses [against her] and you have an ex-Breeders’ Cup winner, a good Japanese horse, top quality horses from Ireland. We know it’s good, but this is her best distance. There’s no harm taking on the colts, but it was more the configuration of the track and the distance that made Frankie and I want to run her in the mile and a half."

Gosden feels his former sidekick Dettori is loving his new life in the States. He said: "Frankie is in as good form as ever. I think he enjoys it here. He got sick of all the travelling and being on the road back home, and all the traffic in the UK. Let's face it, he really liked the big races at the weekends at the big meetings. It was the day-to-day stuff he didn't. 

"Jockeys are not riding every day over here. People underestimate how hard it is on jockeys in the UK and Ireland. They're riding seven days a week. They can be riding at 8.30 at night on some all-weather track then getting home when it's dark and getting up in the morning at 5.00 to ride work. It's the same in the summer. 

"The workload on jockeys in our country is much too harsh. They're phenomenal athletes and a lot of them aren't able to eat or drink normal amounts. They can't sweat at the races anymore. I think they have a really, really tough time and that is underestimated by our authorities."

Breeders' Cup Turf (9.01 Del Mar, Saturday)

Coral: 11-4 Rebel’s Romance, 3 Emily Upjohn, 5 Jayarebe, 7 Luxembourg, 9 Wingspan, 10 Shahryar, 11 Far Bridge, 12 Rousham Park, 33 Gold Phoenix, 50 Cabo Spirit, 66 El Encinal, Grand Sonata, 100 There Goes Harvard 

Breeders’ Cup Classic (9.41 Del Mar, Saturday)

Coral: 7-4 City Of Troy, 7-2 Fierceness, 6 Forever Young, 9 Sierra Leone, 10 Ushba Tesoro, 16 Highland Falls, 20 Arthur’s Ride, Next, Tapit Trice, 25 Newgate, Derma Sotogake, 33 Pyrenees, 40 Senor Buscador, 50 Mixto, 100 Rattle N Roll

Follow the Breeders' Cup with the Racing Post

Don't miss a moment of the Breeders' Cup with our live blogs running late into the evening on Friday and Saturday to keep you updated on all the action as it happens. 

Our man on the ground at Del Mar is David Jennings, who will be in California all week with the latest news and insight, while our resident US racing tipster Shane Ketteridge will bring you his Breeders' Cup Pricewise selections for each card in that day's Racing Post newspaper and online from 6pm the evening prior. 

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The 2024 Breeders' Cup kicks off at Del Mar on FridayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Read more:

David Jennings' diary: Want to know how I got on pulling teeth with Ryan Moore? Here is my exchange with City Of Troy's rider 

'You want to see him come over here and get the job done' - Notable Speech leads Charlie Appleby's strong Breeders' Cup squad 

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