Three of the top trainers in the Republic of Ireland are plotting ambitious raids on major international races in early November.
Aidan O’Brien is aiming to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic for the first time, while Willie Mullins and Dermot Weld will saddle fancied runners in the Melbourne Cup.
They will fancy their chances of delivering a winning return to punters who wager on their horses given their previous track record of success in the sport.
Bettors who traditionally play on the best bitcoin dice sites may even consider using their bankroll to bet on the Irish trio’s horses when they tackle their respective races.
O’Brien eager to break his Classic duck
O’Brien is widely rated as one of the top trainers of his generation after winning countless top-class races worldwide during his glittering career.
However, he is yet to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, despite sending numerous horses who were rated as superstars following their exploits in Europe.
He came close to breaking his duck with Giant’s Causeway at Churchill Downs in 2000, but the horse was just outstayed by Tiznow in the final furlong.
O’Brien is set to have another crack at the big race with City Of Troy, who is the bookmakers’ favourite to emerge victorious at Del Mar.
The Epsom Derby winner recently had an impressive workout on an artificial surface at Southwell and could be extremely tough to beat in the Classic.
Fierceness spearheads a strong contingent of North American challengers, but City Of Troy looks a good bet to give O’Brien his first Classic winner.
Weld bidding for his third Melbourne Cup victory
Dermot Weld famously etched his name into Melbourne Cup folklore by becoming the first European trainer to win the race with Vintage Crop in 1993.
He repeated the trick with Media Puzzle nine years later and is hoping to complete a hat-trick of victories with Harbour Wind this year.
The four-year-old won the Listed Martin Molony Stakes at Limerick on his seasonal reappearance before finishing second in a Group 3 event at Longchamp.
Racing Victoria’s Head of Handicapping, David Hegan, admitted that Harbour Wind was the most difficult horse to assess when allocating the weights for the race.
He will carry 53kg in the Melbourne Cup, which could prove to be a generous weight given the form he has showed in seven career starts to date.
Harbour Wind has never finished outside the first two and could be the value bet to give Weld his third win in ‘the race that stops the nation’.
Mullins hoping for better luck at Flemington
Mullins is taking a different approach to Vauban’s preparations for the Melbourne Cup after the horse ran poorly in last year’s renewal at Flemington.
Vauban was the bookmakers’ favourite to win the race, but trailed home 14th after leading the field into the home straight under jockey Ryan Moore.
Mullins has admitted that he made mistakes in the run-up to the race, while Moore failed to do himself justice as he gave the horse an ill-judged ride.
Punters who are considering backing Vauban will be delighted with the news that William Buick will be aboard the horse this time around.
The combination teamed up to great effect when winning the Lonsdale Cup at York and followed up with a fine second place finish in the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.
Buick has established an excellent rapport with Vauban and it would be no surprise to see them
mount a strong bid to win the Melbourne Cup.
