Benvenuto Cellini and Diamond Necklace give O’Brien every chance of another Turf triumph

No trainer has more wins in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf than Aidan O’Brien and in Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini he has a particularly strong hand in his bid for an eighth triumph at Keeneland on Saturday.

Ryan Moore has again overlooked Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Diamond Necklace in favour of Irish Derby hero Benvenuto Cellini, giving Christophe Soumillon the chance to maintain his partnership with the star filly.

“We always thought the Turf was made for Benvenuto Cellini,” said O’Brien. “His run in France (when ninth in the Arc) is a lot better than you think as he was a bit slowly away.

“We’ve done a good bit of work with him with the stalls and we hope get gets away and has a good position.

“The filly ran a stormer in the Arc, which was a slowly-run race. She quickened to go and win, but just got nabbed.

“It’s going to be interesting, as we’re riding her to get the trip, but with him you can go forward. He won the Irish Derby before a massive run in the King George.

“Ryan thought he could improve a little bit from that race. If everything went well he could go to Hong Kong after.”

It has been a campaign not without incident for the flashy chestnut Benvenuto Cellini, whose dam Newspaperofrecord was a brilliant winner of the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs in 2018.

However, having been sharpened up by the intrepid team back at base, he has the chance to follow in the footsteps of the O’Brien greats who have previously taken home this prize.

“He was still a bit green at Longchamp where Ryan said he took a step or two to go forward,” said O’Brien.

“Ryan was very happy to get a low draw (in two) and I think we are going to see a sharper horse.”

Ahead of both of O’Brien’s contenders at ParisLongchamp was George Scott’s Bay City Roller, who got closest to Daryz before again running with credit two weeks later when third in the Champion Stakes.

Scott said: “He’s had an incredible autumn and he’s been rock-solid all year really.

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen of him training on the track and then we took him up for a paddock school and it’s a bit of a cliche but I really couldn’t be happier with him.

“I would just love to see the best version of him turn up on Saturday and if he does he will be in the mix, it’s as simple as that.

“He’s had two hard races recently and you never quite know where the fuel gauge will be late in a race after that, but I’m very pleased with my decision to send him here. Whatever happens he has had the most incredible year and he stays in training, so we can do it all again next year with him.”

Sir Mark Prescott will watch on from Newmarket as Tiffany bids to bow out on a high after Kentucky Turf Cup success followed a maiden Group One triumph in Germany.

Defending Turf champion Ethical Diamond followed Tiffany home at Kentucky Downs, a run used to set up Willie Mullins’ Del Mar scorer for another shot at Breeders’ Cup magic.

“They say he looks a picture and maybe his form hasn’t been as good this year, but that’s probably the difference between running in handicaps last year to moving into Group class this year,” explained the trainer’s son and assistant, Patrick Mullins.

“He’s drawn one and is going to need some rub of the green, we might have to hope they go fast and he can get a run.

“We’re very aware it all worked out perfectly last year and coming in off the season he’s had, it will be great to get in the money this time. Lightning rarely strikes twice, but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”

Jessica Harrington’s shock Irish Champion Stakes scorer Hotazhell goes in search of a big-race hat-trick having also secured top honours in Germany prior to his Leopardstown win, while Irish Oaks heroine Johanna Walsh will represent Joseph O’Brien.

Charlie Appleby has won the Turf on three occasions and will saddle last year’s third El Cordobes, while George Boughey’s Survie is already a top-level winner in the US this term, landing the Christophe Clement on her penultimate start before suffering equipment problems in France.

“Her saddle slipped in the Prix Vermeille and Ryan Moore was hanging on for dear life all the way around,” said Boughey. “If we forget that run, then off the back of the Christophe Clement, she comes here in good shape.

“My inclination when we bought her was that American racing would suit her well and luckily it did.

“We’ve been trying to get her to learn how to sprint, really, in those final 400 metres. She looked pretty electric at Saratoga.”