Breeders’ Cup holds no fears for Burke as USA is likely option for Toocoolforschool

After he was narrowly denied in both the Acomb Stakes at York and a Listed event at Doncaster, the Ripon maiden winner made every yard of the running at Newbury last month, coming home with seven lengths in hand.

North Yorkshire trainer Karl Burke has no fears about stepping his charge up in distance on a faster surface and is excited about a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, a race won by European raiders in five of the seven years since its inception.

“It’s looking more likely as the days go on that he’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup for the juvenile race on turf over a mile on November 1,” said the Leyburn handler.

“He’s had an easy time since Newbury.

“He’s back in light work now, we’ll pick up his work from next week and if all goes well the plan is to go to America.

“I would have no worries about running him on faster ground. Silvestre (de Sousa, jockey) said the ground was as soft as he’d want it at Newbury and he ran well at York on fast ground when they broke the two-year-old course record.”

Meanwhile, attention is turning to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting at Longchamp on Sunday, with Frankie Dettori confirmed to ride 2013 Epsom Derby hero Ruler Of The World.

Al Shaqab Racing, which retains Dettori, is a part-owner of the Galileo colt along with the Coolmore partners, and O’Brien’s son, Joseph, had ridden him on his previous start in the Dubai World Cup.

Dettori’s agent, Ray Cochrane, said: “Frankie told me this afternoon he’s riding the horse, and hopefully he’ll have plenty more rides through the day.”

Local interest, however, is likely to revolve around the Prix de l’Abbaye when several Yorkshire sprinters are likely to take on multiple Group One winner Sole Power who landed the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting.

The most interesting white rose contender is David O’Meara’s G Force who took the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock last month for the Nawton trainer and The Yorkshire Post’s racing columnist Danny Tudhope.

Other local entries are the David Griffiths-trained Take Cover, David Barron’s Pearl Secret, Hot Streak for Kevin Ryan and Moviesta who is trained by Bryan Smart and co-owned by football manager Harry Redknapp.

The Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday week is the likely next port of call for Scott Dixon’s star juvenile Cock Of The North.

Since winning the Brocklesby at Doncaster on the very first day of the season at the end of March, the Cockney Rebel colt has held his form well, mixing it with the likes of Tiggy Wiggy, Estidhkaar and Aktabantay.

“We’re looking at the Group Three at Newmarket, the Autumn Stakes (October 11). That’s the plan at this stage as long as he’s firing nearer the time and we’d like to see a bit of rain,” said Dixon.

“Depending on how he gets on there, he could then go for the Racing Post Trophy back at Doncaster. He should get the bit of cut in the ground he likes there, but obviously he would have to be impressive at Newmarket to be stepping up to Group One company. Who knows where we might end up? The 2000 Guineas would be nice!”