Some fantastic Breeders Cup action from Churchill Downs tonight, in which Goldikova and Midday bid to end their careers on a winning note.
Trainer Freddie Head is confident that his wonder mare Goldikova is as good as ever as she goes in search of an unprecedented fourth successive victory in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (10.07pm).
The incredible six-year-old has won 14 times at Group or Grade One level, landing this race twice at Santa Anita and at Churchill Downs 12 months ago.
She was a massive price at 5/2 for this just over a week ago, and not surprisingly she has been heavily backed into a top price of 21/10 with sportingbet.
I cannot see anything beating her and at that price she looks a terrific bet.
Sir Henry Cecil’s Midday Midday bids to sign off her outstanding career with a first victory against the boys in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (8.45pm) and she looks good value at 6/1 to do it.
The mare has won no less than six times against her own sex in the highest company, winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in 2009 and going down by just a neck in the same race 12 months ago.
She has a victory over favourite Sarafina to her name, and yet she can be backed at more than twice the odds of the French filly.
At the odds on offer she looks an each-way steal.
Three other’s that I like tonight are Finale, Creative Cause and Flat Out.
Finale runs in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (6.02) and was very impressive when landing the hat-trick in a Grade 3 contest last time out.
He has been working brilliantly in the build up for this and put in a great final workout with Sydney’s Candy
He broke a length behind the classy older horse and was able to match strides to the wire with just minimum encouragement from his rider.
At 7/1 he looks outstanding value.
Creative Cause looks to have all the right credentials to topple the red hot favourite Union rags in the Grey Goose Breeders cup Juvenile (9.25) and at 6/1 looks a cracking each-way play, while Flat Out has been in the form of his life this year and at 11/2 looks the one they all have to beat in the Breeders Cup Classic which brings the curtain down on the night.
Daily Sport recommended bets:
5pts win Goldikova (21/10 Boylesports)
2pts each-way Midday (6/1 generally available)
4pts each-way Finale (7/1 Blue Square)
2pts each-way Creative Cause (6/1 Ladbrokes)
3pts win Flat Out (11/2 generally available)