Everything you need to know about City Of Troy's crucial gallop at Southwell on Friday

City Of Troy's gallop at Southwell in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic is the hottest ticket in town, with 1,500 expected at the racecourse just to see him work. Here is everything you need to know about the rare day out in Nottinghamshire . . .

What is happening?

City Of Troy, the highest-rated Turf horse in the world and winner of this year's Derby, Eclipse and International Stakes, is coming over to Southwell for a racecourse gallop.

But this is not just an ordinary racecourse gallop. This masterstroke is the brainchild of Aidan O'Brien and consequently the attention to detail is immense.

He has organised for American-style starting stalls and his own stalls team. He's bringing "four or five" other horses to "go a strong, fast pace for a mile" in a bid to really replicate the early intensity of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Should it prove successful in aiding City Of Troy to victory, it will have many extolling the trainer's genius.

Where and when is it happening? 

Friday afternoon at Southwell racecourse. The exact time is to be confirmed, but the racecourse is opening to the public at 1pm and early indications are the gallop will likely happen somewhere between 3.30pm and 4pm.

City Of Troy (Rachel Richardson) working at BallydoyleCredit: Patrick McCann

How can you watch?

Two options: in person or on TV. For those who can get to Southwell, entry is free. They're opening bars, showing the afternoon action from Newbury, Ayr, Newton Abbot and Downpatrick and, of course, you can see the gallop in person. Otherwise, Sky Sports Racing's Jason Weaver will be present, with the gallop and interviews afterwards shown between their coverage from Newbury and Newton Abbot.

Why is it happening?

Well, partly because the Juddmonte International is a 'win and you're in' for the Breeders' Cup Classic, but mostly because Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien really want to win America's premier weight-for-age race.

Amazingly, for a team who can seemingly do just about anything with a horse, it is a race which has so far eluded them. It's not for the lack of trying either. This century O'Brien has thrown the likes of Giant's Causeway, Galileo, Hawk Wing, George Washington, Henrythenavigator, Rip Van Winkle, So You Think, Gleneagles and Churchill at the race – and come up bone dry.

O'Brien galloped the likes of Giant's Causeway and Galileo at Southwell before their attempts, but not with anything like this intensity, and one of the sport's most open minds is trying a new way to prep for what would be a massive achievement for a European Turf horse.

Southwell: plays host to a special gallop for City Of Troy

Does he have a chance in the Breeders' Cup Classic?

Absolutely. He's the 3-1 favourite with British books and for all the quality of horse O'Brien has thrown at the race, and still not won it, would have to be a concern. This is an immensely talented horse and there simply isn't a middle-distance race in the world which he is incapable of winning.

There's also more encouragement than usual in his pedigree, as he is by a dirt stallion in American Triple Crown hero Justify. His sire never made it to the Breeders' Cup, as he retired through injury after his win in the Belmont, but he did all his racing on dirt and after Content gave super-sire Galileo his 100th individual Group 1 winner last month, O'Brien, ever the salesman, said of Justify: "We think he's Galileo with more class." High praise indeed.

Read these next:

'He's captured imaginations' - 1,500 spectators expected at City Of Troy gallop as demand exceeds Southwell's expectations 

City Of Troy's Breeders' Cup Classic bid won't be shown on ITV owing to programming clash 

'We'll work the fastest horses we can' - Aidan O'Brien set to mirror Breeders' Cup test for City Of Troy in key Southwell workout 

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