'He's a top-class colt' - Aidan O'Brien on the chances of Mogul and Magical

9.33 Keeneland
Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (Grade 1) | 1m4f | SKY

Aidan O'Brien is already the most successful trainer in Breeders' Cup Turf history and in Magical and Mogul he has two outstanding chances to make it an unprecedented seventh success in the race.

High Chaparral won it on his own in 2002 and then dead-heated in 2003, while St Nicholas Abbey (2011), Magician (2013), Found (2015) and Highland Reel (2016) have all been successful since.

Soumillon misses Tarnawa Breeders' Cup ride after testing positive for Covid-19

Magical herself almost provided him with a seventh success in 2018, but she was worn down late by Enable after an epic tussle up the home straight at Churchill Downs.

Two years on and she is back for more. She might be five and having her 27th career outing, but she has seven Group 1 victories next to her name and managed to gun down Ghaiyyath in the Irish Champion Stakes in September. That is something no other horse managed to do this year.

Had Magical come straight to Keeneland after that, she would be a very warm order here but a rare below-par effort in the Champion Stakes at Ascot has raised some doubts.

A dour battle on soft October ground, where she never travelled with the same zest as usual, is probably not the ideal way to be going to the Breeders' Cup but this is Magical. She is tough, she is durable, she is delightful.

O'Brien said: "Magical seems to be in very good form since Ascot. Look, the bottom line is that it was a messy sort of a race at Ascot and she actually ran well to finish as close as she did.

"We haven't done a whole pile with her since but anything we have done she has done nicely. She's been a marvellous filly for us."

Magical (right) finished second in the Turf to Enable in 2018Credit: Edward Whitaker

O'Brien spent the first half of the season trying to convince us Mogul was a top-class colt. Finishing fourth of six when odds-on for the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and then sixth in the Derby hardly helped his argument, but we started to see where he was coming from at Longchamp in September.

That emphatic success in the Grand Prix de Paris was boosted afterwards when the runner-up, In Swoop, went on the fill the same position in the Arc.

Mogul was unable to run in Europe's most prestigious race due to the feed fiasco which prevented any of the O'Brien family runners from turning up on the day. This might tell us how he would have fared.

O'Brien said: "We were really looking forward to the Arc with Mogul and it was just unfortunate what happened that weekend. Everything has gone well with him since and we've always thought he was a top-class colt. It will be very interesting to see how he gets on in a race like this."

Mogul (nearest) was not allowed to run in the Arc at Longchamp and comes here off the back of a Grand Prix de Paris winCredit: Edward Whitaker

Gosden going into uncharted territory with Lord North

John Gosden has chosen one of the biggest stages of all to try Lord North over a mile and a half for the first time. It is bold decisions like that which have made him who he is.

Lord North detested the mud at Ascot in the Champion Stakes, trailing in last of the ten runners, but he showed a sharp turn of foot to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes in June and this track could suit his style of running.

Frankie Dettori, who is the most successful rider in the race with five wins, takes the ride for the first time this season.

Gosden said: "Lord North is in good form but was not in love with bottomless ground at Ascot last time so hopefully he will find this surface less testing.

"This has been the plan with him since he won the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. He is tackling a mile and a half for the first time but should stay around these tight turns."

Mehdaayih might only have finished fourth to Wonderful Tonight in the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot last time, but she made a sweeping move on the home turn and traded very short on Betfair in running. That performance can be upgraded.

Mehdaayih (nearest) comes into this fresher than most of her opponents having injured herself in the Prince of Wales's StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Gosden said: "Mehdaayih ricked her back when she finished behind Lord North in the Prince of Wales's Stakes in June and ran very well after a layoff when fourth in the Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot last month.

"She's a relatively fresh filly compared to some in the race and we decided to take on the colts again as she prefers a mile and a half rather than the lesser trip of the Filly & Mare."

What they say

Brad Cox, trainer of Arklow
He’s a very laid-back horse, but has become more aggressive in his works with the blinkers. He’s had them on the last couple of works and he’s done very well.

Dermot Weld, trainer of Tarnawa
Christophe [Soumillon] has twice tested positive for Covid in America so Colin [Keane] will ride. The advantage Christophe had is that he knows her very well and she takes a bit of knowing. He has won two Group 1s on her. That said, Colin is a very good rider and I'm delighted to have him on board. The filly is in very good form. The ground might be a little quick for her, but we'll take our chance and see how she goes.

Saturday's Breeders' Cup previews:

'It's going to be a great race' – Baffert can't pick between his Classic trio

Guineas hero Kameko in 'super condition' for Breeders' Cup Mile swansong

First for Fanshawe as Audarya takes on strong home team in Filly & Mare Turf

Cinderella story? Glass Slippers out to crack America for Ryan in Turf Sprint

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