'The 25-1 on offer is an absolute steal' - your Breeders' Cup questions answered

The 40th Breeders' Cup begins at Santa Anita on Friday evening and racing fans are treated to some fantastic action with the biggest names in Europe and the US squaring off in California.

Before what promises to be an unmissable two days of racing, our resident Punting Club judges, Harry Wilson, Joe Eccles and Liam Headd, are on hand to discuss hot topics and their Breeders' Cup wagers . . .

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Who do you fancy in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with River Tiber ruled out?
James Gibson-Wynes

Joe: I fancy My Boy Prince to outrun odds of 12-1. This front-runner will be well suited to the demands of Santa Anita and impressed when gaining a confidence-boosting win at Woodbine last time out.

Harry: Carson's Run is completely the wrong price. He won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes with so much in hand and that run can be marked up still, as he quickened up really well from the rear to overhaul a good horse in My Boy Prince, who was able to dictate a slow gallop from the front, and won going away.

Liam: I fancy the unbeaten Endlessly at a bigger price for trainer Michael McCarthy. The two-year-old has improved with every start and has done all of his racing over this trip, with his last two wins coming in Grade 3 company. His most recent success came in the Zuma Beach Stakes at this track, which he won comfortably when looking like he had more to offer.

For the Filly & Mare Turf, would you rather side with the horse going up in trip (Inspiral) or the one coming down in trip (Warm Heart)?
John Jenkins

Joe: I'm in the Inspiral camp. She looked better than ever when claiming the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last month and I can’t envisage the extra two furlongs being a problem. In contrast, I feel that Warm Heart is a strong stayer over 1m4f and I can see the drop back in trip working against her.

Harry: Of the two, I'd lean towards Warm Heart. Her only defeat since going beyond a mile came in the soft-ground Irish Oaks and her latest two victories, both Group 1s, have been a shade cosy. She didn't look short of pace when landing a Listed race over this trip at Newbury in May and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Ryan Moore make plenty use of her from stall two. However, don't underestimate Lindy. She had strong form in France behind Blue Rose Cen and was only a half-length behind 1,000 Guineas winner Mawj in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over a furlong shorter last time.

Liam: I'm siding with Inspiral. The daughter of Frankel recorded a career-best effort on Racing Post Ratings when cruising to the Sun Chariot Stakes last month following a 55-day break, and the way she quickened to the line suggests she'll have no issues stepping up to 1m2f for the first time. Although Warm Heart has won over this distance twice, she's yet to do it on quick ground and I feel Inspiral will be better suited to the conditions. 

What European entry on Friday or Saturday at odds of 10-1 or bigger is most deserving of a second look?
Jake Stern

Harry: The one who is being seriously overlooked in Friday's Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (9.00pm) is Valiant Force. He was only narrowly denied when thrown into a strong 5f Listed event on his debut and the return to the minimum trip saw him produce a massive career-best when winning the Norfolk. His defeats over six furlongs either side of his Royal Ascot success can be ignored and the demands of Santa Anita should be right up his street, so the 25-1 on offer could prove an absolute steal. The other one is With The Moonlight in Saturday's Filly & Mare Turf (7.10pm). She is very capable and finished runner-up in a Grade 1 on her first start in five months in October. She should reverse form with Fev Rover and is worth a look at 20-1.

Liam: I'm keen on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Lumiere Rock in the Filly & Mare Turf (7.10pm) on Saturday. The three-year-old has done the majority of her racing this year over this distance and has produced some consistent efforts. She has yet to finish outside the top four in each of her 11 starts and she ran a huge race to finish just over a length behind Blue Rose Cen in the Prix de l'Opera last time out.

I'm a huge fan of King Of Steel but I don't think the track at Santa Anita will suit this big horse in the Breeders' Cup Turf. What do you guys think?
Marcel Bradbeer

Joe: He would not be for me either, Marcel. This represents a quick turnaround from what looked like a tough race on Champions Day and stall 11 will require plenty of Frankie Dettori magic. I expect Up To The Mark to run a big race here for Todd Pletcher. It was a bold call to go for the Turf over the Mile but I think that’ll pay off given how strongly this colt hit the line in the Manhattan Stakes over 1m2f. You can get 8-1 about him on Saturday and I’d be very surprised to see him out of the first three.

Harry: I'm a big fan of King Of Steel too. I was all over him for the Champion Stakes and I can see him running a big race again, with the return to a mile and a half and quick ground no issue, having won the King Edward VII in those conditions at Royal Ascot. He is a big unit, but he handled the track at Epsom with aplomb and I don't think that should come into it when making your decision. I'd be more concerned with him trying to peg back the better-drawn Auguste Rodin, like he failed to in the Irish Champion. However, you can't rely on Auguste Rodin running his race and at the prices, I wouldn't put anyone off King Of Steel.

King of Steel with his pony at Santa AnitaCredit: Edward Whitaker

Liam: It's hard not to love King Of Steel, but I can't see him producing a similar performance to the Champion Stakes given how short his break has been. His two market rivals, Auguste Rodin and Mostahdaf, have had more time to recover since their last runs and it's the latter who I'm putting my faith in. His Prince of Wales's Stakes victory was so impressive on the eye and he backed that up in the Juddmonte International last time out. His last run over this trip came in the Sheema Classic when he finished fourth, but the form could not have worked out any better with Equinox, Westover and Zagrey all winning at least one top-level race since.

Hi Punting Club, have you got any big-priced outsiders that you have your eye on, please?
Nathan Briggs

Joe: I think that the Breeders’ Cup Mile (8.30pm, Saturday) is one of the more open races at this year’s Breeders’ Cup and I’m incredibly surprised to see Du Jour available at 25-1. He was only beaten a neck in a Grade 1 over this course and distance in March and has looked better than ever when scoring down in grade at Del Mar the last twice.

Harry: Other than Valiant Force in Friday's Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (9.00pm), I'm keeping a close eye on Life Talk in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (9.40pm) which follows. Whether she's good enough for this task is open to question, but she showed plenty when winning a Saratoga maiden on her second start and there were excuses for her Grade 1 third last time, as it came on a sloppy track over one turn. She worked well with Grade 1-winning colt Locked recently (he goes in the Juvenile) and has claims if building on her maiden win.

Aidan O'Brien's string canter up the main track at Santa AnitaCredit: Edward Whitaker

Liam: Any runner with Frankie Dettori onboard deserves a second look, and for that reason I fancy the Ralph Beckett-trained Starlust to run a big race at a huge price of 20-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (9.00). The two-year-old met a number of tough rivals in the Middle Park last time out, but he will have picked up some valuable experience in that event and I don't believe this Grade 1 is as competitive as it was at Newmarket. To add to this, he recorded a joint-best effort on quick ground at York in summer, so he should enjoy the pace, and the drop back to the minimum distance, together with a handy draw in stall six, can prove to be an advantage.

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