Mastercraftsman: new favourite for Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with some firms
PICTURE: Edward WhitakerCraftsman could go for Dirt Mile to avoid Rip
MASTERCRAFTSMAN could yet be switched to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to avoid taking on stablemate Rip Van Winkle in the Classic in 11 days time, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed on Monday.
The announcement filtered through to a small number of bookmakers who immediately installed the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner as 5-2 favourite, usurping previous market leader Capt. Candyman Can.
O'Brien has seven runners mapped out for the trip to Santa Anita next week and confirming Mastercraftsman's options he said: "We've put Mastercraftsman in two races.
"We had to indicate a preference for one race and we nominated the Dirt Mile for him although we still have the option to change our preference if we want to. Both he and Rip Van Winkle are in good form."
Outlining his other plans for the two-day Breeders' Cup meeting, O'Brien said: "Lillie Langtry will run in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (November 6) and on the same day Man Of Iron, who has won a couple of races over one mile and three furlongs at Dundalk, will run in the Marathon."
Beethoven, shock winner of the Group 1 Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes, and Alfred Nobel, the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner, are being aimed at the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile on the Saturday when Viscount Nelson will contest the Juvenile Turf.
Rip Van Winkle is as short as 11-8 favourite for the $5 million Classic over 1m2f, for which Mastercraftsman is a best-priced 12-1 chance to go one better than Henrythenavigator and Giant's Causeway, who both finished second in the Classic.
Read more in Tuesday's Racing Post - or click here to buy the newspaper online as a PDF from 9am
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