It will not garner anything like the acclaim and attention that Europe’s Ryder Cup team enjoyed when they thrashed the Americans in September, but five wins from the seven turf races at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup over the weekend was an impressive return. Around £4.2m in win prize money alone will find its way back into the British and Irish racing ecosystems, and while it is undoubtedly true that most of the winning owners are not exactly strapped for cash, the success of Big Evs in Friday’s Juvenile Turf Sprint was very much one for the little guys.
And putting money to one side, most of the European stars, both human and equine, performed up to their very best, making an essential and invaluable contribution to the spectacle. Mawj, the 1,000 Guineas winner, got a great ride from Oisin Murphy in the Mile before being nailed on the line by an even better ride by William Buick on Master Of The Seas. Likewise, Warm Heart, in the Filly & Mare Turf, did everything right before Frankie Dettori and Inspiral closed her down.
