George Boughey trainer of Believing © Photo Healy Racing
There could be a fitting end to a fantastic season for Believing in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, with George Boughey’s filly backed to “get her skates on” and finally get her moment in the sun in California.
The four-year-old has been a model of consistency for connections, only once outside the top four in a multitude of the year’s hottest sprint contests and winning twice along the way.
Ryan More was the man in the saddle when she struck at the Curragh in the summer and the 41-year-old’s big-match experience is backed to come to the fore when he climbs aboard his willing ally at Del Mar on Saturday.
Harry Herbert, managing director of owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: “Ryan is such a go-to man and has ridden some wonderful horses for us over the years. He knows this filly well and he knows the track well and he’s pleased to be riding her.
“She gives you everything and you know when you ride Believing she absolutely leaves not an ounce in the tank. She’s like her father Mehmas and when you have a horse like that it’s exciting to come to a championship race knowing you will get everything she can give.”
This will be Believing’s 10th start of 2024, but Herbert is still backing the ultra-tough speedster to put her best foot forward.
He added: “Hopefully she’s ready to run well and she will have to get her skates on around here.
“She’s drawn well which is great and makes a big difference – if she can break well, she is drawn well and she seems to be in great form. She’s had a busy season, but she seems bright and George couldn’t be happier with her.”
It is Archie Watson’s Bradsell who has proved a thorn in Believing’s side, winning both the Nunthorpe and Flying Five Stakes with the Boughey-trained sprinter in second.
A narrow defeat on testing ground in the Prix de l’Abbaye brought an end to Bradsell’s imperious winning run since returning from a career-threatening injury and he now searches for one last hurrah Stateside before a stallion career beckons.
Oliver St Lawrence, racing manager to Victorious Racing, said: “He didn’t really like the ground at Longchamp and he was very brave to run through that. We think he prefers a firmer surface and hopefully the surface should suit us out there.
“Obviously it’s not an ideal draw in 12, but hopefully he can get forward and the big American horse Cogburn (trained by Steven Asmussen, in nine) is also drawn a bit wide so hopefully they can get across and it does not impede him too much.
“He retires to the National Stud after this run and hopefully he can run one last big race and show us what he can do again.”
Also making his final career appearance is Big Evs, who is another having to combat being positioned out wide in stall 11.
He gave handler Mick Appleby one of the biggest days of his career when scorching to Juvenile Turf Sprint glory at Santa Anita last year, but will arguably need a career best to replicate Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal and bring the curtain down on his career in style with a Breeders’ Cup double.
“He’s got a tough ask being stuck out wide and hopefully he can break well like he normally does, otherwise I think he will be up against it from that draw,” said Appleby.
“He’s in good form and we know he can come round the bend well, I just hope he can jump well so he can get a decent position coming round the bend. We’ve freshened him up since York and he’s absolutely bouncing.
“It’s nice to go back to America and it will be nice to go out with a win, but as long as he comes back safe, that is always the main thing.”
Ralph Beckett’s Starlust was third behind Big Evs at Santa Anita 12 months ago and could cap a phenomenal autumn for the Arc-winning handler and his jockey Rossa Ryan, while Charlie Appleby will saddle Star Of Mystery who has built up plenty of experience in the US this summer.
“Star of Mystery will need to break from the draw and then get the breaks in running,” said Appleby.
“She put up two good performances at Saratoga where on one occasion you couldn’t see her because she’s so small.
“She won easily on her second start and was probably an unlucky loser at Keeneland. I think she will be bang there.”
