Team Europe yesterday assembled its smallest line-up ever to contest the 14th Breeders' Cup Championship at Hollywood Park, California. A squad of 10, four English, three French, two Irish (Dance Design and Desert King) and one German, will fly the flag against the Americans on Saturday week.

It represents the lowest turnout since 1989 when 11 travelled to Florida. The same number attended the inaugural event in 1984 when it was run at this year's host track. However, the Europeans will be led by Singspiel, the multi-millionaire winner of the Dubai World Cup and Japan Cup, who finished second in last year's Breeders Cup Turf.

He returns to avenge his defeat in the $2 million race, rather than the $4 million Classic on dirt, for which bookmakers yesterday installed him the 6 to 4 favourite. The colt bids to become England's fifth Breeders' Cup winner.