Stateside stars: the key names set to light up the 2021 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar

Styled by some as the Thoroughbred World Championships, the 38th Breeders' Cup is staged on Friday and Saturday at the fabulously picturesque Del Mar, the track where as Bing Crosby sang "the turf meets the surf".

ITV is set to bring nine hours of coverage to UK screens across the two nights while Ireland editor Richard Forristal and award-winning photographer Edward Whitaker will be there to capture the very essence of the event for the Racing Post. And then of course there are the horses . . .

Saturday

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (7.40pm)

The star Glass Slippers has an enviable record in Group and Grade 1s over five furlongs and showed the bend held no fears when scorching to victory at Keeneland last season.

Euros Kevin Ryan is doubly represented as Haydock Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana joins Glass Slippers in the line-up. Ado McGuinness scored a breakthrough top-level success with A Case Of You in the Prix de l'Abbaye on very testing ground and the three-year-old remains unexposed at five furlongs.

European record One winner in the last ten years.

Dangerous to ignore The Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal is well known to British and Irish fans even though he is 0-2 on trips to Europe. He will almost certainly start favourite after an easy win last time.

Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf (8.59)

The star Audarya is one of three European winners from Keeneland bidding for repeat success and, although she has yet to win in four starts this year, her second-placed efforts at Ascot and Deauville show her to be in excellent heart. She came to win the Opera only for the heavy ground to undo her challenge.

Rougir: leading French-trained contenderCredit: Edward Whitaker

Euros Rougir powered home in the Opera having been last turning in and is versatile in terms of trip. La Joconde has set the pace for Snowfall on a couple of occasions and gets to run in her own right here. Love, Tarnawa and Teona are all bound for the Turf, while Queen Supreme may end up here despite first preference being the Mile.

European record 5/10

Dangerous to ignore Bill Mott trains the favourite War Like Goddess – who is on a five-timer – but the international class in the race is surely Japan's Loves Only You, the mount of Yuga Kawada.

Fan Duel Breeders' Cup Mile (10.20)

The star Space Blues finally claimed the Group 1 his talent deserves when dominating the Prix de la Foret, the race Freddy Head favoured when prepping Goldikova for a hat-trick of Mile victories. Space Blues gives Charlie Appleby and William Buick a major chance to round off a memorable year in style.

Space Blues: an impressive winner on Arc day last timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Euros Mother Earth brings Classic-winning form to the table while Ireland's challenge is further strengthened by Foret runner-up Pearls Galore for Paddy Twomey. Master Of The Seas pulled too hard in the QEII but Godolphin's supposed second string has excellent claims based on his narrow defeat to Poetic Flare in the 2,000 Guineas.

European record 3/10

Dangerous to ignore Mo Forza is on a five-timer but is not the easiest filly to keep fit whereas Blowout – a daughter of French 1,000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour – also boasts top-class form.

Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (11.40)

The star Tarnawa is arguably the team captain for the entire European challenge as she bids to go back-to-back in a race that has featured in some of the biggest Breeders' Cup moments for the visitors down the years. Narrow defeats in the Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc are surely every bit as impressive as her wins in the Vermeille and the Opera en route to victory at Keeneland 12 months ago.

Euros Prix Vermeille heroine Teona has attracted significant support in the days since this was confirmed as her main target over the Filly and Mare Turf. Love would certainly be a danger to all if rediscovering her best form while Godolphin pair Yibir and Walton Street plundered big prizes in North America recently. Sisfahan was only beaten a length by Arc winner Torquator Tasso in the Grosser Preis von Baden in September.

European record 7/10

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (12.40am Sunday)

The star Essential Quality announced himself as the next big thing on dirt when dominating the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November and, with the exception of an unlucky fourth when poorly drawn in the Kentucky Derby in May, has lived up to that billing. He looks to crown himself champion of a very good crop of US three-year-olds.

Essential Quality: one of the likely favourites for the Breeders' Cup ClassicCredit: Al Bello

The challengers With the only plausible European candidate, Mishriff, staying at home, this will be the traditional all-American affair. Hot Rod Charlie and Medina Spirit – still officially the Kentucky Derby winner despite his failed test for betamethasone – add to the deep challenge from the Classic generation. Last year's Dirt Mile winner Knicks Go has posted three wide-margin victories since returning from a disappointing effort in the Saudi Cup, though only one was at Grade 1 level.

Friday

Future Stars Friday boasts a host of European challengers in the three turf races, the Juvenile Turf Sprint (9.50), the Juvenile Fillies Turf (11.10) and the Juvenile Turf (12.30am Saturday).

The star: Dubawi Legend bounced back from what trainer Hugo Palmer describes as "a disaster" at York when forcing Native Trail to dig very deep in the Dewhurst at Newmarket. Palmer has a fine crop of two-year-olds and he is arguably the pick.

Hugo Palmer: set to be strongly represented on Friday at Del MarCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Euros: Modern Games had only a maiden and a nursery success to his name before taking the notable scalp of Prix Morny runner-up Trident in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, and could get Charlie Appleby off to a flying start in the Juvenile Turf.

The Juvenile Fillies reads like a who's who of up-and-coming British-based trainers, with James Ferguson (Mise En Scene), David Loughnane (Hello You) and George Boughey (Cachet) all represented, while Ryan Moore is a fascinating booking for the Francis Graffard-trained Malavath.

Twilight Jet headlines a strong European challenge in the Grade 2 Juvenile Turf Sprint alongside Armor for Richard Hannon.

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