Sir Michael Stoute eyes first Mile victory with classy Expert Eye

7.36 Churchill Downs
Breeders' Cup Mile | Grade 1 | 1m | 3yo+ | Turf | ATR

Frankie Dettori gets a full dress rehearsal for his later date with Enable in the Turf when he dons the same pink, white and green colours of Khalid Abdullah on Expert Eye, who is one of two representatives for Sir Michael Stoute in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The son of Acclamation could not have a bigger stage on which to attempt his first Group 1 win and would appear to be better drawn in stall seven than his stablemate Mustashry, who is out on the wing in stall 14.

Rather than toil on unsuitable soft ground at Ascot last month, Stoute elected to divert Expert Eye to this and must be hoping the turf track dries after the deluge that hit the course on Thursday.

As a handy type, Expert Eye should be well served by going around sharp bends, and he showed he was at home in such circumstances when an unlucky-in-running third when last seen in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin at Longchamp in September.

Since then, Expert Eye has appeared in top order in his work in Newmarket, while he has continued to catch the eye in his light exercise since arriving in Kentucky last weekend.

Expert Eye will bid to give Frankie Dettori his second win in the Breeders' Cup MileCredit: Edward Whitaker

Mustashry has been a bit of a slow burner but he warrants a shot at this level after landing successive Group 2 wins at Doncaster and Newmarket in September.

Dettori, who rode his first Breeders' Cup winner on Barathea in this contest in 1994, said in his Ladbrokes blog: "At the beginning of his life Expert Eye was a bit of a handful but he's a lovely horse now and is learning how to race.

"I won on him at York and then he ran a super race in the Prix du Moulin. The draw is a key factor here and he has been drawn in seven, which isn't bad as it's so difficult to win from the outside post. There are long stretches but tight bends.

"I think you need more of a seven-furlong horse than a miler. He’s got plenty of tactical speed. It's one of those races where you need a pinch of luck. He's good enough to do himself justice in a competitive race."

Expert Eye

Pros Handy type who will travel well and has the tactical speed to get out of any trouble

Cons Ideally wants good ground so recent rain a concern

Mustashry

Pros Will not be stopping if others have gone off too fast as he stays the mile well

Cons Drawn wide in 14

Standby for Oscar Performance

This prize has returned to Canada in two of the last three years, via Mark Casse-trained runners, and Oscar Performance is the country's representative this year. He bids to go out on a high a year after failing to stay the mile and a half in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar.

The US contingent and their northern neighbours have an excellent recent record in the $2 million Mile, with the Europeans winning it only once since the last of Goldikova's three triumphs in 2010.

Oscar Performance, a son of Kitten's Joy trained by Brian Lynch, is coming off the back of a success in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in September and already has a Breeders' Cup success to his name having landed the Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita in 2016.

Lynch said: "Oscar Performance set the world record for a mile in the Poker Stakes at Belmont and had a big effort in the Woodbine Mile.

"His best races have been at a mile. Last year when he ran in the Turf he was a three-year-old who was falling off a little bit and facing a really good field of older horses. He's going off to stud after this so we'll never know about the longer distances."

Pros With Polydream a late non-runner he could not have been found a more open year, and for a front-runner is drawn pretty well in stall five

Cons May not have things all his own way up front with a field of 13 rivals snapping at his heels

Late absentees mean O'Brien has four chances

Aidan O'Brien has yet to add the Mile to his CV, going closest when Lancaster Bomber was runner-up a year ago, but he fields Gustav Klimt, Happily, I Can Fly and Clemmie – who was a reserve until Polydream came out on Friday – in a bid to break his duck.

Gustav Klimt, the mount of Ryan Moore, has been peppering the target at this level in recent months, most recently when fourth to the reopposing One Master, although he could be parked out a bit wide in stall 13.

Gustav Klimt is one of four runners for Aidan O'Brien in the Breeders' Cup MileCredit: Edward Whitaker

O'Brien said: "We’ve been very happy with his preparation. He was third in the Group 1 sprint at Haydock with ease in the ground.

"I thought a mile might suit him here because he's a fast miler. Ryan was very happy with his run at Longchamp – he said he finished on the bridle in the race. He's come out of it very well but hasn’t got a good draw."

Happily gave the prolific Laurens most to think about when chasing her home in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket but was then a last-minute withdrawal, through no fault of her own, at Ascot last time.

O'Brien added: "We were very disappointed with what happened to Happily at Ascot. We thought she was in super form and everything was right. The horse went into the stalls beside her, kicked up and frightened her. She came out and wasn't given another chance to go back in.

"She's come back very well, is drawn well and handles ease in the ground well. If she breaks she’ll get the mile well. She's in very good form."

Of I Can Fly, he added: "She's a very progressive filly. Donnacha [O'Brien] got an unbelievable run out of her at Ascot and she will handle an ease in the ground.

"She will have to take her time so if the pace is even and solid she has a chance of coming into it. She will need a little bit of luck."

Gustav Klimt

Pros Consistent and versatile ground-wise
Cons Draw unhelpful and yet to win at the highest level

Happily

Pros Usually runs her race and should be suited by the ground
Cons Yet to win this season from six tries, while stalls experience at Ascot could have left a mark

I Can Fly

Pros Took form to new high last time out and could well build on that
Cons Overall profile doesn't scream likely winner

What the others say

William Haggas, trainer of One Master
We're running her to see if she gets the mile, which might open a few options if she stays in training. I’ve always thought she wanted soft ground – and I don’t think anyone can describe the ground at Longchamp last time as good as it was rough. She's tough and looks great.

John Sadler, trainer of Catapult
I don't think Chad Brown has a monster in the Mile, so, from the American ones, he's right there. The question with him is the European runners. That's the scenario. I joked that the winner will be a three-year-old filly by Galileo – Aidan O'Brien's fourth entry [Clemmie].

David Simcock, trainer of Lightning Spear
It's his last race and he's been such fun. He hasn’t let us down, he's danced every dance. He’ll love the fact there’s a bend – he runs very well with a bend, hence his liking for Goodwood. It's very exciting turning up at a Breeders’ Cup with him.

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