Breeders Cup Betting: Day One

With coverage live on At The Races (Sky channel 415) be prepared for two late nights packed full of quality racing. Here are some of the horses to look out for on Friday.

20.10 Juvenile Sprint 6f
Shumoos might be trained in Britain but she is American bred so this is something of a homecoming. A Group winner at Kempton and placed at Royal Ascot; she is a good horse, but the 12/1 (Paddy Power) shot is having her first run on dirt.

The unbeaten Secret Circle is the 11/10 (William Hill) favourite, but with a blistering gallop on the cards, the race could be set up for a closer. Blacky The Bull hasn’t raced over six furlongs since his debut; he clocked a good Beyer speed rating that day. Now returned to sprinting, at 33/1 (Bet365) he looks over priced.

Selection: Blacky The Bull 33/1 (Bet365)

20.50 Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 2) (2yo Fillies) 1m
John Gosden saddles the 7/2 (Ladbrokes) favourite Elusive Kate for the contest. Winner of her last four starts she has been deeply progressive, running out an easy winner of the Marcel Boussac on her last start. Somali Lemonade looks the big danger at 11/2 (William Hill); a poor draw in stall 14 is offset by her racing style as she likes to come from off a strong pace. With the British trained horse bound to be popular with bookmakers, Somali Lemonade looks like the value play.

Selection: Somali Lemonade 11/2 (William Hill)

22.50 Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) 1m3f
Roger Varian saddles the unbeaten Nahrain, the 5/1 (Ladbrokes) second favourite. She has enjoyed a remarkably progressive season having started her winning run back in May in a Windsor maiden. Last time out she won the Group 1, Prix De L’Opera at Longchamp. It was a steadily run race and she has yet to record a speed figure anywhere near her rating. She is a capable filly but will be faced with unfamiliar conditions.

Of her rivals Stacelita looks the one to beat. A quadruple Group One winner when trained in France by Jean-Claude Rouget, she has transferred her form well to the United States. She has won her last two starts since moving to Chad Brown - both at Group One level - making her one of the top middle distance mares on North American turf.

Selection: Stacelita 7/2 (Paddy Power)