City Of Troy Set for Breeders’ Cup Classic After Juddmonte International Triumph

City Of Troy is gearing up for a blockbuster run at the Breeders’ Cup Classic after his commanding victory in the Juddmonte International at York. The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt, who has emerged as the standout of his generation, will now set his sights on becoming the first-ever winner of the prestigious race for both O’Brien and Coolmore.

After dominating as a juvenile, the son of Justify bounced back from a rare slip in the 2000 Guineas to capture the Derby and Coral-Eclipse, further solidifying his status with a record-breaking performance on the Knavesmire. Under the guidance of Ryan Moore, City Of Troy made all the running and held off the challenge of French raider Calandagan, breaking the 10-furlong track record in the process.

Despite holding entries across Europe for several high-profile races, the focus now turns to Del Mar in November, where City Of Troy will tackle the dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It’s a challenge that Coolmore and O’Brien have long sought to conquer, having gone close in the past with the likes of Giant’s Causeway.

Before crossing the Atlantic, O’Brien has plans to give his stable star a racecourse gallop on an all-weather surface in Britain, with Southwell and Wolverhampton under consideration. Both tracks have been utilized by Ballydoyle in the past to prepare dirt-bound contenders.

O’Brien explained: “It looks like City Of Troy is going to go straight to the Classic, listening to everybody. I think he’ll go to one of your tracks, either Southwell or Ryan mentioned Wolverhampton. We just want to get him on a different surface, so that’s where he could go before heading on to America.”

Coolmore partner Michael Tabor acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge ahead: “It is very difficult, trying to prepare the horse for a different situation, and it is a big ask. I noticed someone quoted him at 3-1, which is a short price – a ridiculous price. It’s a different surface, and he’s not used to that surface.”

Tabor, however, remains hopeful that this could be the year they finally land the Classic. “Naturally, we’d love to win it. We’ve come close before with Giant’s Causeway, and maybe one day we’ll win – hopefully this year with City Of Troy.”

City Of Troy’s potential trip to Del Mar adds another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a thrilling edition of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where Europe’s top colt will take on the best dirt runners from around the world in pursuit of racing glory.