Master Of The Seas has Breeders' Cup option after storming to first top-level triumph at Woodbine

William Buick may have been absent from St Leger day on Saturday but it did not stop him from claiming his share of feature-race success as Master Of The Seas set up a possible Breeders' Cup tilt with a dominant success in the Woodbine Mile. 

Sent off odds-on for the Grade 1 contest, the five-year-old made a slow start and trailed last of the six runners early on but showed an impressive turn of foot to sweep clear of Shirl's Speight and Lucky Score.

Godolphin's gelding was narrowly denied victory in the 2021 2,000 Guineas by Poetic Flare but gained a first top-level triumph in Canada, and the Breeders' Cup Mile on November 4 looks the likely next destination.

"He usually breaks pretty fast," said Buick, quoted by Bloodhorse. "For one reason or another, he really didn't today but there weren't that many runners and the pace was even throughout without being crazy. It's a big, fair track and he's a horse with a turn of foot, so it was my job to navigate a trouble-free passage for him.

"He's pretty high maintenance but the boys at home have done a great job and I thought today he was much more the finished article. 

"When he won at Ascot the last time, you sort of sensed he was back to his best form. He had some real good two-year-old form and I thought what he did there, he really showed how good he is."

The Woodbine Mile is a 'win and you're in' contest for the Breeders' Cup and Master Of The Seas could bid to emulate his recently retired stablemate Modern Games, who stormed to victory in this race 12 months ago before following up in the Breeders' Cup Mile under Buick. 

While a similar route is likely to be plotted for this year's winner, Charlie Appleby's assistant trainer Alex Merriam was hesitant to confirm a trip to Santa Anita until the yard's newest Grade 1 star returned home to Newmarket. 

"I think he'll ship out on Wednesday and then we'll see how he comes out of the race when we get home, and I'm sure Charlie will make a call about the Breeders' Cup when the time comes," said Merriam. 

"He's very lightly raced and he's not the most straightforward, but he's come over here and done a great job. He's been very relaxed over here and he's travelled well, and I think you've seen the result of that."

Buick was unable to claim a Grade 1 double at Woodbine after Dazzling Star could manage only third behind She's So Pretty in the Natalma Stakes, but Appleby enjoyed further success in the United States with Eternal Hope, who snatched victory under Jamie Spencer in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct. 

Read more:

'It's very possible he will go straight to America' - Breeders' Cup next on the agenda for Auguste Rodin 

'He's on the way back' - Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers set for US campaign with Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in his sights 

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