Back In Business Has Soma Excited

Back In Business wins the Listed Spring Spree Stakes with a ton in hand (JC Photos)

Joe Soma said today (Monday) he had always thrived on training good horses and he looks to have another good horse on his hands in Back And Business, who has toyed with the opposition in his last two starts, including in Saturday’s Listed Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m at Turffontein Inside.

Soma said, “He’s very good, I’ve always rated him, and I’m very excited. I always get excited training good horses. I love training top horses, champions, I thrive on it. Before I became a trainer, even as a young boy, I always said I would love to train champions. I used to wonder what it would be like to train the like of Elevation and Politician.”

There were some raised eyebrows when Joe entered the William Longsword gelding Back In Business in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes back in March, but the wise will have used that to their advantage as Soma has proved himself over decades as pound for pound one of the best trainers in the country.

It would have told them how highly he rated Back In Business.

It is incredible, for a yard with such small numbers and not much spending power, how Soma seems to have a Graded class horse every season and he now looks to have another potential star on his hands.

He said about Back In Business, “From the first time he cantered I said to everyone he could be the real deal. His first four starts were outstanding, he won three of them and in the other he finished third to Dave The King. He then had that well documented incident at the starting stalls and everything went pear-shaped and the horse just lost his confidence. I thought maybe just race him through it, but he definitely was not the horse that we knew. He was very uptight, flyjumped going down to the start, he just got very uptight with racing. So I decided to give him a break and took our time with him and suddenly he just started showing us the work that we knew he used to do … and he blossomed. He matured and he is a really beautiful horse. He weighs 550kg and on the Highveld that is a lot of horse (horses have to be worked a lot harder on the Highveld due to the altitude so generally weigh less than they do at the coast.) So he’s a very, very big animal and yet very light on his feet, very good action, good turn of foot … he is a nice horse.”

He displayed all of that in his last two starts.

Joe continued, “He is a horse who has now settled, he knows what racing is all about and if there is something in front of him he will go out and catch him. In fact when we work him in the mornings we have to make sure the track is clean, because if he sees a horse in front of him he wants to go after it. He’s got that mind of a special horse, he’s got that mind of a horse who was bred to run and says ‘Let’s run.’ And yet he settles beautifully in the running. He used to fight a little bit as a young horse but he’s learnt.”

Back In Business’s sire William Longsword won the Gr 1 Cape Guineas and the CTS Mile and overall had six wins in just eight career starts and those wins were from 1400m to 1600m.

Back In Business’ dam Enchanting Cathy, who is by the speed influence Var, is a half-sister to the top class three-time Gr 1-winning sprinter National Currency, who had the world at his feet when tragically passing away of a suspected snake or scorpion bite in Dubai.

So there is a lot of speed and black type in Back In Business’ pedigree.

However, Joe will be looking closely at the program and entries before committing him to his races.

His new merit rating has not been published yet and that will also have to be looked at.

Joe said, “We will look after him and pick his fights. I wouldn’t be scared of much, but we need to build up his confidence and get a few wins out of him and we’ll get there … I need to do what is right for him.”

In his penultimate start, following a four month layoff after the Horse Chestnut, Back In Business completely outclassed the opposition running off a 90 merit rating in a Middle Stakes event over 1450m at Turffontein Inside, scything through the field from off the pace in effortless fashion and going on to win by 2,25 lengths.

Joe was confident going into the Spring Spree.

He said, “He is a big horse carrying just 53kg and he ran 1,75 lengths off Dave The King at level weights and was unlucky in that race too as he played up badly in the pens and the jockey was consequently a bit soft on him … that told you straight away roughly the ability that he’s got.”

His Spring Spree Stakes win on Saturday was similar to his previous win, although there were a couple of anxioius moments over the shorter trip.

From draw six in the eleven horse field Muzi Yeni jumped the strapping individual out well enough and then simply sat on him while the deck was shuffled.

He ended up in a one out position in fifth place.

Yeni was content to let the leader, Cliff Hanger, stretch further ahead as he patiently angled his mount out under the hands to the outside rail.

His supporters must have thought he had left it too late because at the 300m mark he had four to five lengths to make up and still had to squeeze through two tight gaps on the outside, the first to get past Halberdier and then to get past Cliff Hanger.

However, the big horse then began eating up the ground with his big stride and was once again doing it effortlessly.

In fact, Yeni cheekily began easing him down as he stretched past Cliff Hanger at the 100m mark and he won by 1,80 lengths with a ton in hand.

Admittedly a number of the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained horses, of whom Cliff Hanger was one, looked like they needed their runs on Saturday and Back In Business was also only carrying 53kg off a 96 merit rating.

He is also a five-year-old already.

However, his career was interrupted by that starting stalls incident in September last year and patience has paid off in getting him back to where he would have probably been a year ago. Perhaps it has even worked in his favour considering his improved maturity.

Back In Business toyed with the opposition on Satuday, and it was probably over a trip a touch short of his best. The route Soma takes with him is going to be interesting, but he will no doubt be tested against the best soon.

Cliff Hanger was easily second, 2,20 lengths clear of Zinovi with Silent War and Guy Gibson next best and a disappointing Quantum Theory, who was last year’s winner, was beaten 6,10 lengths into sixth place.

Beach Bomb Makes A Fine USA Debut

Beach Beauty, in the familiar Drakenstein Blue colours with a white squuare, is running on well under Jairo Rendon behind the winner Maman Joon (Picture: MonmouthPark.com)

South African supporters were happy to see the Drakenstein homebred Beach Bomb, a dual Gr 1 winner formerly trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, finishing second in the Listed Violet Stakes over a mile and a sixteenth (1700m) at Monmouth Park on Satirday in her USA debut.

However, had they known the credentials of the winner and the weight details of the race they would have been a lot more animated.

The Lancaster Bomber filly is now trained by Graham Motion and this was her first run since finishing second against the boys in the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby on February 24.

Earlier she had had victories in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m, before a disappointing flat run in the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m.

Beach Bomb had to carry 124 pounds in the Violet Stakes, while her five opponenets all carried 118 pounds.

She was up against a hot pot odds-on favourite in Sea The Stars filly Maman Joon.

The latter had finished fourth in the Gr 1 Epsom Oaks and third in the Gr 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting before being imported to the USA, where she is trained by Chad Brown and where she has now won three times in six starts and finished second in a Gr 3 too.

Beach Bomb sat handy and chased Maman Joon atfter the latter had come from off the pace and swept past her in the straight.

Beach Bomb stayed on well all the way to the line and was beaten only 1,75 lengths.

It was a fine effort considering she had given the useful winner six pounds.

She should come on from the run too.

Beach Bomb’s Paddock Stakes victory automatically qualified her for the Breeders Cup, which takes place at Del Mar in California in early November.

She ia being targeted at the Breeders Cup Filly And Mare Turf over a mile and three furlongs (2200m).

Beach Bomb is a daughter of the legendary Beach Beauty (Dynasty) and she has inherited the latter’s huge courage, despite being even smaller than her famously small mother.

Quid Pro Quo Ousts Royal Victory In KZN Racing Awards Surprise

Quid Pro Quo becomes the first two-year-old in history to be named KZN Horse Of The Season (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

The KZN Racing Awards were held in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday night and for the first time ever the most awaited award, the KZN Horse Of The Season, went to a two-year-old, the Barend Botes-trained history-making filly Quid Pro Quo.

The Horse Of The Season Award has been a touch controversial recently, because it can go to an out of province horse if they have run at least three times in KZN, but that goes against convention because the acknowledged best horse of a jurisidiction usually comes from that jurisdiction and there has been at least one deserving local candidate in each of the last couple of seasons.

So this year the Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King was eligible and it was going to be interesting to see, in the opinion of most pundits, whether it would go to him or to the Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory, who is widely acknowledged as the best horse in KZN having won both of Johannesburg’s biggest races, the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.

It did go to a KZN-based horse in the end.

However, it was not Royal Victory, but rather the two-year-old Lance filly Quid Pro Quo.

She made history this season by becoming the first horse to win all three of the Champions Season’s chief two-year-old fillies’ races, the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m, the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville and the Gr 1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

She did only beat her own age and gender, but it was pointed out she had won over three different distances.

Her history-making feat happened in KZN and this was viewed by the panelists as more worthy than Royal Victory becoming the first out of province horse in history to win the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge and he was thus the first out of horse in history to do Johannesburg’s big double, having earlier become the first out of province horse since 2006 to win the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup. Royal Victory also finished a fine third in Hollywoodbets Durban July, a race in which he was a touch unlucky.

Last year the KZN Breeders took the unusual step of making their horse of the season a two-year-old, the hitherto unbeaten Sean Tarry-trained Mrs Geriatrix, who won both the Allan Robertson and the Golden Slipper as well as a Listed and a Gr 2 race, but it seemed to have been done for want of a suitable older horse.

The KZN Racing Awards this year did not lack a suitable older horse, so the announcement did come as somewhat of a surprise, although it was generally well received.

Quid Pro Quo, whose name means “something for something” was the second horse of the season to be given the label “the new darling of the SA turf” and the first of those, Gimme A Nother, is now thought to be on her way overseas.

Quid Pro Quo’s owners and breeders Gerald and Karen Kalil were present to receive the award. Gerald shared that there have been many offers for Quid Pro Quo, whose sire Lance commands a R5,000 cover fee, but he was still holding out and he added her ultimate target this season would be the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara races. She is proven over the trip of the first leg, the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and he is confident she will get the trip of the second leg, the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m, but he said the big question will be whether she stays the 2450m trip of the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks.

The biggest cheer of the evening came for KZN Champion Jockey Richard Fourie, who made a special effort to get to the event despite having ridden in Gqeberha earlier the day, whilst Champion Owners the Hollywood Syndicate also received rousing applause for all they do for racing and Rachel Venniker was a popular winner of the KZN Racing Personality Of The Season award after her magnificent wins in Jockeys Challenge races in both Qatar and Ascot.

All the awards are listed below:
Champion Two Year Old Filly – Quid Pro Quo
Champion Two Year Old Colt – Cats Pajamas
Champion Three Year Old Filly – Rascova
Champion Three Year Old Colt – Green With Envy
Champion Sprinter – King Of The Gauls
Champion Middle Distance Filly – Saartjie
Champion Middle Distance Horse – Royal Victory
Champion Stayer – Master Redoute
Champion Breeders – Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein
Champion Apprentice – Kobeli James Lihaba
Champion Trainer – Gareth Van Zyl
Champion Owner – Hollywood Syndicate (Nominee: Anthony Delpech)
Champion Jockey – Richard Fourie
Anita Akal Special Award – Kumaran Naidoo
KZN Racing Personality of the Year – Rachel Venniker
Champion Horse Of The Season – Quid Pro Quo
Groom Of The Horse Of The Season – Asithandile Mgadeni

Isivunguvungu Makes His USA Debut On Saturday

Isivunguvungu in a work out in July at his new base at Herringswell Stables. (Picture: via Hollywood Syndicate meta)

Isivunguvungu’s first run in the States will be this Saturday – in the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes over 1100m at Colonial Downs in the state of Virginia.

Graham Motion told Bloodhorse website recently that the South African horses he had inherited, Isivunguvungu and Beach Bomb, had adapted well to their new surroundings.

“Because they’d been quarantined for two months and barely got out of their stalls in those two months, we had to be careful not to rush them when they went back into training. They were literally starting from scratch,” he explained. “They seem to have adjusted to everything very well. They don’t seem to struggle with the track and the way we train over here.”

Of Isivunguvungu, a six-year-old gelded son of What A Winter, Motion commented: “He’s a really cool horse … very straightforward … so far he’s done it all easily.”

Motion said the Da Hoss Stakes on Saturday “looks like a good spot” for Isivunguvungu, who is ultimately eyeing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“I like the Da Hoss; it’s 5½ furlongs. It’s what he’s going to have to do at Del Mar, and I think he’ll be just about ready by then.”

He said about Beach Bomb before her run on Saturday, “Just like (Isivunguvungu), she’s handled everything very easily. She’s quite a slight filly. She’s not very big like he is—he’s quite stout. But she’s very professional—we haven’t missed a beat with her so far.”

In the interview, Motion said he’d like to run the South African horses in September and then go straight to the Breeders’ Cup.

“It’s possible they could run again in October but, in a perfect world, I’d like them to run once and then go to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Mark van Deventer Preview For HWB Durbanville Tuesday

King Pelles has been tipped to follow up on his last win (Picture: Wayne Marks)

By Mark van Deventer

Punters face a choice between a scopey young filly, LADY SPRINGFIELD and two older rivals, LAVENDER BAY, and ENGLISH MISTRESS in Race 2, which opens Tuesday’s Bipot at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

LADY SPRINGFIELD made good improvement behind Pentolina at her second start – being slow away, then working forward to lead at one stage, before getting outrun in deep stretch. She is trending in the right direction and with further progress under record breaking champion jockey, Richard Fourie, Justin Snaith’s entry should go close.

Pace analysis shows that LAVENDER BAY galloped with determination at a steady rate behind Charlotte Bronte in what is turning into a key Maiden. Andre Nel’s charge must be respected carrying just 2kg’s more than her junior opponent.

ENGLISH MISTRESS, placed at seven of her 11 starts and now equipped with cheekpieces, won’t be winning out of turn, either. The trio look to have Race 2 sewn up between them.

KING PELLES emerged from the rain squall to saunter in last time under a tight hold just 17 days ago at this venue. He has now really found form with Gareth van Zyl and can defy a six-point hit from the handicapper in Race 4. Grant van Niekerk sticks solid, and they should relish the likely good pace, then launch an attack from midfield to try double up.

CALL TO UNITE is on the comeback trail and rates the main menace after just caving in late in a blanket finish behind OTTO LUYKEN. There is little to choose between these two on a reading of their beaten runs to the high class, Green With Envy in last year’s Politician Stakes.

Others to consider in this opening Leg of the P6 are BLUE BAY (Fourie) and deep closer, GIMME MORE TIME (Aldo Domeyer), though both will need to get clear commutes from wider gates. Senior pilots are appointed to manage that tricky task.

Lower draws make life easier at the country course. In Race 5 over 1400m, three to focus on are all penned towards the inner – SAIL THE SEAS (1), KELP FOREST (3) and RADICCHIO (4). The former makes a handicap debut in Class 4 after romping stylishly in a Maiden 73 days ago.

KELP FOREST will again go well at this level over a C/D he enjoys – jockey trainer combo, van Niekerk and Adam Marcus mean business when teaming up.

RADICCHIO may have “bounced” (regressed) slightly at his second start after a sterling yet gut-busting win on his August return. Assuming he is revived, he will be a big player racing handy under visiting rider, Tristan Godden, who must quickly try familiarising himself with the peculiar nuances of the country course.

This is an open contest, typical of a medium grade handicap, and all of BIG UNIT, DAS GUTE, UNICORN ALERT and maybe even ALL ABOUT RONNIE may get involved if lucky in running from their wide gates.

LADY LOXTON should be able to make her own luck in Race 6 as she is comfortable pressing the pace and is favourably drawn. The daughter of Vercingetorix is no star (1 win from 11 dips), but she enters calmer waters after a neat comeback run at the Class 4 level 40 days ago when splitting Philosophise and She’s My Captain at the track.

She now drops to Class 5 where her main dangers are Greg Ennion’s VERONIQUE and CATTALEYA. They place quite regularly yet have only won twice from 43 starts and thrice from 27 starts, respectively.

NILE THE BOSS is also limited in ability yet represents the tactical speed-on-the-rail angle, and course suited turn back play, FAMILY POWER can be lobbed onto wider tickets.

HANG OUT THE STARS is another esoteric lurker. She has flopped badly at her last two starts and is drawn 12/13 – at a cursory glance, her chances seem remote. But a deeper dive into the past performances reveals that she is weighted to beat LADY LOXTON on the Kebonalesedi, April form-line and she was finishing faster that day, too. A rare, Richard Fourie booking for trainer Mike Stewart is another plus factor, so it seems best to keep this Querari mare onside even if she has managed just a solitary victory from 19 starts to date.

Race 8 provides an each way play in the form of MISS MARGUERITE who was not disgraced in false run race behind Knockout a month ago. Piet Steyn’s entry has won second up after a rest before, handles soft ground and copes with Durbanville’s bends just fine. She gets further relief from the handicapper, coming down from a high OMR of 99 (after a smart dart in the Olympic Duel Stakes back in January,) to a more manageable 92.

MISS MARGUERITE is trying to snap a losing sequence of 439 days so punters will need generous odds to compensate. Stern opposition will come from SOUTHERN SKIES who seems sure to go well if fit after a layoff and taking to the track; Bass Racing’s sprinter, WINTER RAINFALL and MY FLOWER FATE who, though best over further, can rush home on resuming after a break.

Piet Botha’s enterprising, Dare to Dream stables may round out Tuesday’s meet. He saddles TRES CHIC, TRY ME (will have all the favours drawn 1) and the quirky, EASY MONEY in a Class 5 scurry over five panels.

TRES CHIC is the more dependable of the trio and is poised for a second win after showing decent recent form and dropping a few merit rating points. But off-pace closers are hostages to fortune at this venue and JP van Der Merwe will need to get the breaks on cue if she is to crack it.

Feedback from the jocks indicate that stable mate EASY MONEY is a very difficult ride and will test the forceful, Luyolo Mxothwa’s skills as a horseman. Of interest, her best fig was recorded at this course behind talented enigma, Tail of the Comet close to a year ago over 1400m, and her only two wins have been at the minimum trip.

It’s hard to know quite what to make of her given her quirks but based on a positive interpretation of both her course, and distance potential, she might settle better and pop– up at a price.

Apart from Botha’s tag team, ELECTRIC FIELDS, ON BOARD and BECKY SHARP are suggested as back up for bigger P6 perms on what shapes up as a challenging day for horseplayers.

Vaal Tuesday Formguides And Selections

Smashing could follow up on her maiden win off a 65 merit rating (JC Photos)

6 SERRANO 4 YUKON 11 PYRO EDITION 5 SKITTLES SKIES

Preview: 6 SERRANO has done well in all his starts, some of them against decent sorts, and he is the one to beat from a fair draw over a suitable trip. 4 YUKON made a fair debut and will relish the step up in trip. 11 PYRO EDITION made a fair debut and could improve, albeit over a drop in trip. 5 SKITTLES SKIES is always thereabouts but was beaten by Pyro Edition over 1600m. (6-4-11-5)

5 PEARL IN HER CROWN 1 CAT O’CLOCK 2 LINE IN THE SKY 6 BELLA’S CHARM

Preview: 5 PEARL IN HER CROWN is knocking on the door and has a high draw which could be advantageous. 1 CAT O’CLOCK has been k nocking on the door over sprints but is not sure to like the step up in trip on pedigree and the lkow draw might be disadvantageous. 2 LINE IN THE SKY should enjoy the step up in trip and has a middle draw. 6 BELLA’S CHARM ran well over this trip category last time but it remains to be seen whether the number one draw will be disadvantageous or not but it might well be. (5-1-2-6)

1 SNEAK PREVIEW 3 ZOOMBOMBER 7 COUNT YOUR CHANCES 8 GREEN SCEPTRE

Preview: 1 SNEAK PREVIEW ran well over this course and distance last time and having the highest draw might be an advantage. 3 ZOOMBOMBER is off a competitive mark and should be in the shake up. 7 COUNT YOUR CHANCES is distance suited and off a competitive mark. 8 GREEN SCEPTRE has dropped to a competitive mark and could earn. (1-3-7-8)

7 DAMOVA 1 CERULEAN DANCER 6 IDEAL FUTURE 5 TEO TORRIATTE

Preview: 7 DAMOVA has done well over staying trips before and is off a much lower mark now. 1 CERULEAN DANCER is in good form and did well over 1800m recently so a step up to a staying trip is interesting. 6 IDEAL FUTURE has ability and a nice long stride and is only three points higher after winning over this trip last time. 5 TEO TORRIATTE has won over this trip and will be staying on. (7-1-6-5)

4 SMASHING 5 ARILENA 7 INAFIX 2 IN THE ETHER

Preview: 4 SMASHING won well last time with second-time alumites on and could follow up off a 65 merit rating. 5 ARILENA showed ability before a long layoof and can get away with running fresh over this trip. 7 INAFIX is back in form and after a win last time could earn again. 2 IN THE ETHER is capable of a strong finish and is always dangerous. (4-5-7-2)

5 KINSHIN SHA 4 LONGSWORD 3 ROLLWITHTHEPUNCHES 1 KARANGETANG

Preview: 5 KINSHIN SHA won in good style last time and can progress. 4 LONGSWORD should be finishing strongly from off the pace. 3 ROLLWITHTHEPUNCHES has been off form but showed signs of a form return last time. 1 KARANGETANG is consistently thereabouts and should be again. (5-4-3-1)

8 RAINING RUBIES 11 MIX THE MAGIC 4 MICKE’S BOMB 5 CRIMSON CLOUD

Preview: 8 RAINING RUBIES went close last time over this trip category and should be in the shake up in this line up. 11 MIX THE MAGIC could earn if repeating either of her last two starts. 4 MICKE’S BOMB is in consistent form and has a chance in this line up. 5 CRIMSON CLOUD starts off handicapping on a reasonable mark after a narrow maiden win. (8-11-4-5)

O'Brien Set To Give City Of Troy A Key Workout At Southwell

City Of Troy working out at Ballydoyle on Monday under Rachel Richardson (Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos))

David Jennings (Racing Post)

A strenuous Southwell workout is on the agenda for City Of Troy this month when Aidan O’Brien is keen to replicate the early intensity of the Breeders’ Cup Classic by having some of the fastest horses he can find go flat out over a mile.

O’Brien revealed further details about the crucial gallop on September 20 as City Of Troy works towards his date with destiny in the Classic at Del Mar on November 2, a race which Ballydoyle’s master trainer has yet to conquer.

City Of Troy is now clear favourite for the Classic, a standout 7-2 with bet365 and as short as 5-2 with a few firms, but O’Brien is under no illusions about the magnitude of the task facing his superstar colt who is bidding to end his racing career with a fairytale final chapter on dirt.

When asked if winning the Classic would be the pinnacle of his career, O’Brien replied: “We’ve never won it. We’ve tried very hard, a lot of times, for 25 years, but we’ve yet to win it. It’s a very difficult race to win. You’re going to a different world, a different culture, a different track, a different surface. Everything is different and it’s very tough. For one of our horses to win, he has to be a lot better than the opposition over there.

“It’s one of those races you don’t even dream about because it’s so difficult, but you try and you hope. Every year you tweak things and look for different horses and different ways of doing it. You look under every stone you can look under and then hopefully you’ve looked under enough of them. You saw what happened in the Guineas this year, the one stone I didn’t look under came and got us.”

O’Brien’s determination to prepare City Of Troy to perfection takes him to Nottinghamshire this month, with speedy stablemates, a fast pace and American stalls all part of the plan.

“He’ll go a mile with probably four or five other horses, and we’ll go a strong, fast pace for a mile and see what will happen,” O’Brien said.

“He’ll work out of American stalls, so we’ll have it as close as we can. Obviously, we won’t have the surface but that’s not a bad thing because it’s a little bit of a step in between grass and dirt rather than a big jump straight away.

“We’ve tweaked things. The surface is a little bit different again, and it’s a little bit why we didn’t go to Leopardstown [for the Irish Champion Stakes] this time. If we went there, we might use up that run, and that’s why we thought we might go to Southwell instead. We went with Giant’s Causeway and we got beaten, so we have to tweak a little bit and maybe leaving him a shade fresher will work. That’s what we’re hoping.”

He added: “We’ll work the fastest horses we can. We’ll go very hard in the first half of the race, and I don’t know what is going to happen after that. No horse we’ve ever sent to Southwell has ever worked well. They all just about finish with the lead horse, and maybe it will be the same, I don’t know, but it will be interesting.

“Ryan [Moore] said there’s not much kickback in Southwell. In America we would prefer to stay out of kickback. My experience of kickback is that you don’t ever get used to it, and I don’t think any horse enjoys kickback.”

City Of Troy made every yard of the running in the Juddmonte International, but O’Brien said racegoers could expect to see an even more aggressive version at Del Mar.

O’Brien said: “He was aggressive the last day but will be more aggressive the next day. We didn’t want to do that until very late because of what happened in the Guineas. Ryan went forward but went forward with controlled aggression, but I know the next day he’ll hit them gates and he’ll want to go.”

O’Brien reports the explosive son of Justify to have taken that York assignment in his stride and the performance, which earned him a career-best Racing Post Rating of 129, appears to have taken little out of him.

He added: “He took York very well. He didn’t even blow. He never really got into full tempo. He’s a hardy customer. He’s not for kids. He will maul you. He’s very unusual and he’s not simple.

“He has a lot of Justify in him and he has a lot of Galileo in him as well, none of those are wimps. If you’re restricting him, he’ll make you suffer.

“You’d imagine the faster they go, the better it will suit him, but our fast is a little bit different to American fast. It will be interesting, and we’ll watch with great interest like everyone else.”

Breeders’ Cup Classic (Del Mar, November 2):

bet365: 7-2 City Of Troy, 6 Fierceness, 7 Forever Young, 10 Muth, 12 Sierra Leone, Highland Falls 14 Thorpedo Anna, 16 bar.