The third member of the “Big Three”, meanwhile, is Forever Young, who might well have become Japan’s first ever Kentucky Derby winner but for the persistent interference of Sierra Leone in the stretch.

Fierceness, the shortest-priced local hope, was a convincing winner of the Travers and the form has already been franked here today by Thorpedo Anna:

Not the best of notes on which to move on to the Classic, but the time is now and City Of Troy will attempt to write his name into the history books in just under 20 minutes’ time.

Here’s his last run in the International Stakes, when he was quick from the stalls and set a strong pace before quickening again in the closing stages – the characteristics, it could be argued, of a really good dirt horse.

Sad news after the Turf: Jayarebe suffered a suspected “cardiac event” on the far side of the track while being pulled up. He was reportedly unconscious when vets arrived to attend to him seconds later and is thought to have died almost instantly.

Emily Upjohn, meanwhile, was held up well off the pace by Frankie Dettori, who then launched an audacious bid to find a path up the stands’ rail in the stretch. But the gaps did not appear, and she pretty much crossed the line without ever coming off the bridle.

A concerning postscript to the Turf: Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe collapsed on the track after crossing the line and is currently being assessed by the track vets.

That’s five-from-five for the Europeans on turf as William Buick seizes control of the race with a quarter of a mile to run. He fired Rebel’s Romance into the lead on the final turn and threw down a challenge to his rivals to chase him down in the short home stretch, and while Rousham Park was gaining rapidly in the final stages, Christophe Lemaire ran out of turf.

Rebel’s Romance goes on on the home turn … he’s got a big lead, here comes Rousham Park finishing really well, lead is shrinking but ….

Rebel’s Romance reclaims the Turf crown!

Far Bridge right there too, no move yet from Frankie on Emily Upjohn

Rebel’s Romance settled in third, Luxembourg close behind, Emily Upjohn one from last as they pass the post first time

Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf!

A delighted Kenny McPeek is in the interview room after Thorpedo Anna’s win in the Distaff:

She’s so easy, she never misses a meal. A bit like me.

Post time for the Turf is in 12 minutes, and the latest betting show from the track is: 9/5 Rebel’s Romance, 5-1 Emily Upjohn, 6-1 Far Bridge, 7-1 Luxembourg, 9-1 Shahryar, 10-1 bar.

Far Bridge, the shortest-priced home-trained runner, took the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes at Aqueduct in September.

If the Europeans are going to lose their winning streak on the turf, Shahryar, from Japan, could be the one to do it. He was a close third in this race at Santa Anita last year, and runner-up – behind Rebel’s Romance – in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.

Emily Upjohn is without a win since the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June 2023, but she has been keeping very strong company and was a close third behind the subsequent 1-2 in the Arc, Bluestocking and Aventure, in the Prix Vermeille in September:

We move swiftly on to the Turf, where there is another strong team from Europe – perhaps the strongest for any of the turf races. Rebel’s Romance, the winner two years ago, is back for another crack, while Emily Upjohn, Luxembourg and Jayarebe – whose trainer, Brian Meehan, has won this twice already – provide strong backup.

Here’s Rebel’s Romance winning back in 2022:

That was also a hugely popular win for trainer Kenny McPeek, a multiple Grade One winner over the years who became the first trainer for 72 years to win both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks in the same season back in May. Coming into this year’s Breeders’ Cup, however, he was 0-37 at the meeting.

A straightforward win for the favourite, who was quickly into the lead which she never seemed likely to surrender.

Raging Sea, the Personal Ensign winner at Saratoga, is the only rival attracting any money to beat the favourite:

Two outsiders have gone in at the top of the Breeders’ Cup card here, and the local punters will be hoping for some respite when Thorpedo Anna sets off for the Distaff in five minutes’ time. She is a red-hot favourite at 1-5, not least because Idiomatic, who was expected to give her plenty to think about, was ruled out of the race last week. She has the form to back up the short odds, though, having finished second behind Fierceness – the big US-trained fancy for the Classic – in the Travers Stakes, and won all five of her other starts this year, four at Grade One level.

This is her win in the American Oaks at Saratoga in the summer:

Rossa Ryan is in the interview room:

It was just one of those days, luck was on my side and it all opened so well.

Hearing that Ryan Moore has bruising but will be fine to ride City Of Troy in the Classic.

It’s official, Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan have a Breeders’ Cup win to go with their Arc success last month, and Europe is 4-4 on the turf so far!

There is also no news as yet of whether Ryan Moore is ok after being unshipped by Believing before that race. He is due to be aboard City Of Troy in the Classic in under two hours’ time.

HOLD ALL TICKETS! The provisional result is Starlust beating Motorious, AG Bullet and Star Of Mystery, but Rossa Ryan edged right and nudged unplaced Isivunguvungu inside the final furlong.

That’s a brilliant ride by Rossa Ryan on Ralph Beckett’s outsider – but there’s an inquiry!

Bradsell chased up into second place on the turn, but Cogburn leads, he’s clear …

Cogburn three up turning in, starting to tire tho… deep inside the final furlong, Cogburn gives way and Starlust comes through to win!

Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint!

They got the saddle off Believing very quickly and she was led away. Starting to reload.

Believing has been scratched and the runners have been taken out of the gates.

Believing playing up in the stalls, Ryan Moore unseated.

Heading to the gates for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, the Europeans were three-from-three on the turf yesterday so can they extend the streak?

Big Evs, who is drawn 11, is currently showing at 18-1 on the local tote, with Bradsell, who is widest of all in 12, in single-figure odds at 8-1. Cogburn, meanwhile, is odds-on at 4-5 to repeat his blitz at Saratoga, with Charlie Appleby’s Star Of Mystery – a regular in north American turf sprints this year though with only one win, in a Grade 3 at Saratoga, also attracting support.

I think I’m right in saying that Cogburn was the first horse ever to dip below 60 seconds over that course at Saratoga. It’s a slightly unusual trip, but even so, there have been plenty before him that tried.

Bradsell and Big Evs will be very familiar to European fans, and their riders, Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand, are, of course, are very familiar to each other, having tied the knot in 2022. Both horses and their riders were in the Nunthorpe at York in August, where Bradsell emerged victorious with Believing, who is also in the field here, in second.

Wi-fi has returned for the moment, so fingers crossed. It’s 20 minutes to post time for the Turf Sprint, which features a strong challenge from Europe – Big Evs, Believing and Bradsell are the headliners – up against a top-notch US-trained sprinter in Steve Asmussen’s Cogburn. The Americans have dubbed him “the fastest horse in the world” after he broke the track record in the Jaipur at Saratoga:

The latest interruption arrived just as the Filly & Mare Sprint was approaching its climax, and what a finish it proved to be. Scylla and Ways And Means were among the horses in a four-way go for the lead inside the final furlong … only for Soul Of An Angel, who missed the kick and all but tailed off after a furlong, to sweep around them all for an upset win.

Please accept my apologies for the frequent interruptions to the service at the moment. Not for the first time, the richest and most powerful nation on earth is apparently incapable of organising a stable wi-fi connection in the media room for a global sporting event.

Ways And Means moves alongside the lead

Society and Scylla close to the lead, a sub-22 second opening quarter

Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint!

They are heading towards the gates, Vahva and Scylla, with riding legend Mike Smith in the plate, are popular with the punters too.

Steve Asmussen’s Society is next in the betting, she won the Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga last time out:

We have been racing here since what felt like dawn – American fans feel short-changed by anything much less than a dozen races on a card – but the Breeders’ Cup races are underway in around 20 minute with the Filly & Mare Sprint over seven furlongs.

The likely favourite here is Ways And Means, a Grade One winner at Saratoga in August who comes in on a three-race winning streak.

A little bit about Del Mar. This is a beautiful and historic track, co-founded by the legendary crooner and turf fan, Bing Crosby, who was on the gate to personally hand out the first ticket on opening day in July 1937. The current season here, in fact, which runs until 1 December, is officially the “Bing Crosby” season, and this is a track that likes to acknowledge and celebrate its place in racing history.

It was the scene of a famous match race between the great Seabiscuit and Ligaroti a year after its opening …

… and there are displays, photographs and old posters on the walls throughout the grandstand – did you know, for instance, that Betty Grable was a keen racehorse owner and fan here? Anyone wanting a really deep dive into Del Mar’s past, meanwhile, should check out this page on their website, which goes through the decades in granular detail.