Bay City Roller considered leading European contender for Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland

Bay City Roller heads the list of European hopes for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Saturday after finishing second in the Arc de Triomphe, a performance rated the best form on offer among the continental challengers.

The Turf is the highlight of Saturday’s nine-race Breeders’ Cup card for European fans, with 10 of the 14-strong field trained in the UK, Ireland or France. Bay City Roller (21.36) could be an excellent bet at around 9-1 with British bookmakers to give George Scott a first Breeders’ Cup winner at the second attempt. Timeform rate his Arc second behind Daryz as superior to the other European form in the race, and that run also demonstrated he handles a sound surface.

Stall 13 is not ideal for Bay City Roller, but there appears to be little obvious pace on his inside and Oisin Murphy previously managed to get close to the lead from a similar draw in the Arc. The short straight at Keeneland should suit Bay City Roller’s late kick if Murphy can get across and sit handy, then accelerate coming off the turn.

In the earlier Keeneland contests, Ways And Means (Keeneland 17.10) was nearly six lengths clear in a Grade One last time and is expected to get a better trip from stall two than Explora, her main market rival. At Keeneland 17.48, front-running Bacio, the Nunthorpe winner, could face a battle for the lead and Billy Loughnane on Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave will be poised to pounce.

A strong pace is forecast to set up the race for Bracket Buster at Keeneland 18.26 after he ran into traffic problems at Parx last time. At Keeneland 19.04, Blue Bolt and Precise are both drawn wide while Mark Casse’s Classic Q, drawn in three to sit just behind the pace, is suggested as a live each-way alternative at around 16-1.

In the Keeneland 19.42, Englishman and the Japanese-trained T O Elvis dominate the betting but are each described as having negatives, and the pacey, fast-improving Liam Smith, drawn three, is noted as capable of outrunning odds of around 25-1. Charlie Appleby has supplied four winners from five Mile starters and Notable Speech, successful at Del Mar 12 months ago, is judged to have plenty in hand of the field in the Keeneland 20.20.

Keeneland 20.58 is expected to be a likely head-to-head between Nitrogen and Fully Subscribed, with Mark Casse’s filly described as ideally drawn to attack from the off. Only seven go to post for the Classic at Keeneland 22.16, which the preview states should set up ideally for Forever Young to become only the second dual winner in its 42-year history.

Over jumps, Pic D’Orhy, a high-profile stable switch from Paul Nicholls to his former assistant Dan Skelton over the summer, is declared capable of making an immediate contribution to the new champion trainer’s title defence in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday. Pic D’Orhy (2.55) was winless in four starts last season but was a length-and-a-half away from a fourth Grade One success in the Ascot Chase in February, finished a close second on his seasonal debut in this race 12 months ago, is described as remaining among the top-rated chasers in training, and tackles three miles for only the third time on ground described as good.

Bay City Roller’s participation in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland (21.36) and Pic D’Orhy’s run in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby (2.55) are both scheduled for Saturday, with the preview identifying those as the immediate fixtures carrying the clearest implications for their respective trainers and seasonal campaigns.