Locals have edge in Breeders' Cup battle

Racing News: Punters appear to have taken the line that Saturday will be another blank Breeders' Cup in California for Irish and British runners. The mover in the Paddy Power market for European-trained winners yesterday was "zero," backed in to 11 to 2 from 13 to 2.

The 11 to 8 favourite is two winners but that ignores the appalling record of British and Irish runners in the five Breeders' Cups held in California to date.

There has been no British-trained winner from 30 starters and no Irish scorer from four runners. The French, however, have struck at each of the five and that is no coincidence according to the Breeders' Cup winning trainer John Oxx.

"If you look at the form of American horses on the run up to the Breeders' Cup, you can see they are campaigned for it with a mid-summer break and then a comeback in the autumn.

"It is like what the French do with their Arc de Triomphe horses and the way the French do it with all their best horses. I think that has to be a factor in how they have done well in the Breeders' Cup compared to the British runners," Oxx said.

Alamshar's retirement has ruled out the chance for Oxx to add to Ridgewood Pearl's Mile triumph in 1995. Along with Timarida's successes in the 1995 EP Taylor in Canada and the 1996 Beverly D in Chicago, Ridgewood Pearl proved Oxx's ability to travel horses successfully but even he doesn't underestimate the task facing the European runners in Santa Anita.

"It is the length of the trip out there that is the principal problem. It is just that few hours longer than is desirable. I believe that it is more of a factor than the weather. It is usually like a warm summer's day at this time of year and there is none of the heaviness and humidity you would get, say, in Chicago in August. We have won there even though the weather is probably tougher on horses," Oxx said.

The Curragh trainer accepts the odds are heavily in the local's favour. "They prepare for the Breeders' Cup whereas it is still very much an after-thought for many European horses. It is usually just a bridge too far them. I don't believe it because the Americans are better. I think the ratings in recent years indicate that.

"But the Americans are on their home surface, they don't have to travel, they are better prepared and then there is the whole medication issue. We should be surprised when horses who go on the dirt actually pull it off."

However, one Irish runner who has already won in California this year is Dermot Weld's Dimitrova (the American Oaks at Del Mar) and Oxx said: "I like her and I think she has a better chance than her price indicates."

Pat Smullen will ride Dimitrova as well as Refuse To Bend (Mile) and Relaxed Gesture in the Juvenile but then faces a dash back to Paris for the ride on Vinnie Roe in Sunday's Prix Royal Oak.The star stayer is one of 18 declared for the French Leger along with the Ascot Gold Cup winner Mr Dinos.