Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Friday 3 November 2023

BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS BEST BETS, SANTA ANITA, FRIDAY

Race 5 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT (Grade 1)

No4 BIG EVS
Trainer: Mike Appleby – Jockey: Tom Marquand

BIG EVS can set the seal on what’s been a bountiful season for his rookie sire Blue Point by giving Appleby the biggest success of his career. The Windsor Castle and Molecomb Stakes winner added the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes to his CV when routing his field at Doncaster and is drawn perfectly to attack in this race round a left-handed bend. American-trained horses can dominate for the minor placings, with George Weaver set to earn.

He saddles three in the field of 15 in which CRIMSON ADVOCATE may prove best under veteran John Velazquez. The Byquist filly drew inside BIG EVS on the rail. She’s fast and should attack. Midshipman filly AMIDST WAVES has leading pilot Flavien Prat in the irons, and brings solid form from New York to the table.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained CHERRY BLOSSOM was ridden by her jockey Ryan Moore in light exercise on Tuesday and if running well would boost the claims of Porta Fortuna in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. That Cheveley Park Stakes form looks solid enough.

Prediction: 1st BIG EVS, 2nd Crimson Advocate, 3rd Amidst Waves, 4th Cherry Blossom

Race 6 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Grade 1)

No7 TAMARA
Trainer: Richard Mandella – Jockey: Mike Smith

All eyes will be on the beautifully-bred and unbeaten TAMARA who is by Bolt D’Oro out of the multiple Stakes winner Beholder. With veteran Mike Smith in the hot seat, Tamara takes a big step in class but has looked very smart in landing back-to-back races at Del Mar.

Her trainer Mandella has an enviable record with his runners in the eleven Breeders’ Cups that have been staged here, and his resolve that Tamara is top class will be tested to the full as she competes around two turns for the first time. CANDIED also defends a two race unbeaten record for Todd Pletcher, but may be forced to go to or close to the front breaking from the rail.

Her Saratoga and Keeneland triumphs stand up to close inspection. A third unbeaten contender is the Bill Mott-trained JUST F Y I who is by Triple Crown hero Justify out of a Street Cry mare. She’s displayed battling qualities on a sloppy surface, but though encountering different underfoot conditions can be competitive.

Prediction: 1st TAMARA, 2nd Candied, 3rd Just F Y I

Race 7 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF (Grade 1)

No6 PORTA FORTUNA
Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien – Jockey: Oisin Murphy

A cracking race brings Cheveley Park Stakes winner PORTA FORTUNA together with a gaggle of aspiring US fillies. The selection has maintained a high level of form since landing the Albany at Royal Ascot and support for her will escalate should Cherry Blossom fare well in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

She is perfectly positioned in the six gate to obtain a handy early position, while some of the other main protagonists have fared less well, especially HARD TO JUSTIFY who needs to be alert from the 12 slot. Chad Brown’s filly could still menace while CARLA’S WAY brings strong credentials to the table from her comprehensive display in the Rockfel.

Her trainers Simon and Ed Crisford are confident of an earning show. LIFE’S AN AUDIBLE could also do well for the home team but has a little to find with Hard To Justify.

Prediction: 1st PORTA FORTUNA, 2nd Hard To Justify, 3rd Carla’s Way, 4th Life’s An Audible

Race 8 FAN DUEL BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE (Grade 1)

No4 TIMBERLAKE (Nap)
Trainer: Bred Cox – Jockey: Florent Geroux

When he opened his account at Ellis Park TIMBERLAKE backed up solid wagering to score by a street in the hands of Geroux. And though failing to handle a class rise against Nutella Fella in the Hopefil at Saratoga, the Into Mischief colt set the record straight when powering home in the Grade 1 Champagne at Aqueduct.

I like the way he dug deep into hisvreserves to get the job done on a sloppy track in New York. PRINCE OF MONACO and MUTH provide Bob Baffert with a powerful twin attack on the Day 1 feature. The latter, a son of Good Magic, impressed in the American Pharoah over the course and distance last month. Tackling a longer trip brought about notable improvement from the Juan Hernandez-ridden challenger who is respected.

Prince Of Monaco defends an unbeaten record of three successes and was far too good for Muth at Del Mar in August, though he is untried at a mile. LOCKED is a fast developer from the Pletcher barn who impressed on the training track this week. He provides a value option for Todd Pletcher, and could get into the money.

Prediction: 1st TIMBERLAKE, 2nd Prince Of Monaco, 3rd Muth, 4th Locked

Race 9 PREVAGEN BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF (Grade 1)

No2 UNQUESTIONABLE (Each Way)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Frankie Dettori

It seems reasonable to think Moore has a big say in what he rides when Coolmore makes a multiple entry, as is the case in this final BC race of the day. He’s on board RIVER TIBER, who having been beaten in back-to-back Group 1s will start favourite to bolster O’Brien’s impressive record in the contest.

The son of Wootton Bassett is going to enjoy stretching out to a mile round two turns but I have an equally good feeling about Dettori’s mount UNQUESTIONABLE who herself brings solid credentials to the table. Since breaking his maiden the selection has placed in a Group 2 and a couple of Group 1s, and ran well against the very smart Rosallion in the Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.

The best the home side have to offer often falls short in this race, but respect is paid to both CARSON’S RUN and ENDLESSLY who are the most likely to cash in should the O’Brien duo fail to show up, but that is unlikely.

Prediction: 1st UNQUESTIONABLE, 2nd River Tiber, 3rd Carson’s Run, 4th Endlessly