The second day of the Breeders’ Cup is the big one, with the best in the world competing to confirm their status. We’ve seen plenty of European winners in the turf races on this card and there look to be some strong chances again this year, so I’ve looked at what it’s taken previously to land each contest, with the hope of helping find this year’s winners. Missed the first day? Catch up with my Breeders’ Cup Day One trends.
TURF
The main turf event at the Breeders’ Cup has been won by British or Irish trainers for the last six years, and there has been just one American-trained winner from the last 11 renewals.
This year’s spectacle has received a welcome boost with Ombudsman confirmed to be heading here following his phenomenal effort on Champions Day at Ascot. John Gosden’s last winner of this race was Enable back in 2018, so he knows what it takes to land this contest.
Recent Winners
Year – Winner – Jockey – Trainer – Country – SP
- 2025 – Ethical Diamond (IRE) – Dylan Browne McMonagle – Willie Mullins – Ireland – 28/1
- 2024 – Rebel’s Romance (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 19/10F
- 2023 – Auguste Rodin (IRE) – Ryan Moore – Aidan O’Brien – Ireland – 5/2F
- 2022 – Rebel’s Romance (IRE) – James Doyle – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 596/100
- 2021 – Yibir (GB) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 17/2
- 2020 – Tarnawa (IRE) – Colin Keane – Dermot Weld – Ireland – 3/1
- 2019 – Bricks And Mortar (USA) – Irad Ortiz Jr. – Chad C. Brown – USA – 11/8F
- 2018 – Enable (GB) – Frankie Dettori – John Gosden – Britain – 8/13F
- 2017 – Talismanic (GB) – Mickael Barzalona – André Fabre – France – 14/1
- 2016 – Highland Reel (IRE) – Seamie Heffernan – Aidan O’Brien – Ireland – 7/2
Topline Trends
- ALL of the last 10 winners had recorded an RPR of 117+ that season
- 9 of the last 10 winners were Irish (6) or British (3) bred
- 9 of the last 10 winners had won over 12f multiple times
- 8 of the last 10 winners last ran between 34 and 56 days ago
- 8 of the last 10 winners were trained in Ireland (4) or Britain (4)
- 8 of the last 10 winners won last time out (the last 8)
- 8 of the last 10 winners had 10 or more Flat runs
- 7 of the last 10 winners were already multiple Group 1 winners (the other three had no Group 1 wins)
Contenders
Ombudsman – Trained by John & Thady Gosden, this five-year-old is the best racehorse in the world according to the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, and I don’t think any other ranking body would disagree following his recent Champion Stakes win. He posted a career-high RPR that day when demolishing a high-quality field, including former world’s best racehorse Calandagan.
Diamond Necklace – Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this filly won her first six starts, including going unbeaten as a two-year-old. She’s only run against the colts once, last time out when third in the Arc, so her class is confirmed, and she’s ground-versatile with options at this meeting.
Benvenuto Cellini – Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this son of Frankel has had a very hit-and-miss season, with issues in the Epsom Derby before victory in the Irish Derby, after which he was cited as a ready-made horse for the US, making the Breeders’ Cup an option. He’s winless since, but this meeting was mentioned again after his defeat in the King George.
FILLY & MARE TURF
European-trained runners have won seven of the last ten renewals of this race, with John & Thady Gosden’s Inspiral the most recent British-trained winner in 2023.
Recent Winners
Year – Winner – Jockey – Trainer – Country – SP
- 2025 – Gezora (FR) – Mickael Barzalona – F-H Graffard – France – 91/10
- 2024 – Moira (CAN) – Flavien Prat – Kevin Attard – Canada – 58/10
- 2023 – Inspiral (GB) – Frankie Dettori – John & Thady Gosden – Britain – 5/2F
- 2022 – Tuesday (IRE) – Ryan Moore – Aidan O’Brien – Ireland – 42/10
- 2021 – Loves Only You (JPN) – Yuga Kawada – Yoshito Yahagi – Japan – 43/10
- 2020 – Audarya (FR) – Pierre-Charles Boudot – James Fanshawe – Britain – 12/1
- 2019 – Iridessa (IRE) – Wayne Lordan – Joseph Patrick O’Brien – Ireland – 8/1
- 2018 – Sistercharlie (IRE) – John R. Velazquez – Chad C. Brown – USA – 5/1
- 2017 – Wuheida (GB) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 8/1
- 2016 – Queen’s Trust (GB) – Frankie Dettori – Sir Michael Stoute – Britain – 5/1
Topline Trends
- 9 of the last 10 winners had recorded their career-best RPR that season
- 9 of the last 10 winners raced in a Group 1 last time out
- 8 of the last 10 winners had won a Group 1 before now
- 8 of the last 10 winners did NOT win last time out
- 7 of the last 10 winners last ran between 21 and 34 days ago
- 7 of the last 10 winners were trained in Europe (6 of those were 3yos)
Contenders
Precise – Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this filly is winless from her last five starts and has been kept busy during 2026. Those five defeats have all come in Group 1 company, though, she was a back-to-back Group 1 winner prior to that, and back in July this race was cited as a possible long-term aim for her.
Diamond Necklace – Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this filly won her first six starts, including going unbeaten as a two-year-old. She’s only run against the colts once, last time out when third in the Arc, so her class is confirmed, and she’s ground-versatile with options at this meeting.
Blue Bolt – Trained by Andrew Balding, this filly is unbeaten from her six starts this season, which include four Group 1 wins from her last four starts. She’s twice beaten Precise, and while she’s been kept against her own sex this year, her trainer is on record as saying she could take on the colts at this meeting.
MILE
This race has been dominated by Charlie Appleby, William Buick and Godolphin, who have won four of the last five renewals, including with Notable Speech, who is likely to be sent off a warm favourite to retain his crown. It’s been done before, by Wise Dan in 2012 and 2013, which came after Goldikova notched up three successive wins in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Recent Winners
Year – Winner – Jockey – Trainer – Country – SP
- 2025 – Notable Speech (GB) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 13/5F
- 2024 – More Than Looks (USA) – Jose L. Ortiz – Cherie DeVaux – USA – 69/10
- 2023 – Master Of The Seas (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 33/10JF
- 2022 – Modern Games (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 11/8F
- 2021 – Space Blues (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby – Britain – 21/10F
- 2020 – Order Of Australia (IRE) – Pierre-Charles Boudot – Aidan O’Brien – Ireland – 40/1
- 2019 – Uni (GB) – Joel Rosario – Chad C. Brown – USA – 9/2
- 2018 – Expert Eye (GB) – Frankie Dettori – Sir Michael Stoute – Britain – 9/2F
- 2017 – World Approval – John R. Velazquez – Mark E. Casse – Canada – 11/4F
- 2016 – Tourist – Joel Rosario – Bill Mott – USA – 33/1
Topline Trends
- 9 of the last 10 winners placed top 3 last time out
- 9 of the last 10 winners last ran in a Group 1
- 8 of the last 10 winners raced over a mile last time out
- 8 of the last 10 winners were aged either 5 (5) or 3 (3)
- 7 of the last 10 winners had won a Group 1 (2 of the 3 who hadn’t were 3yos)
- 7 of the last 10 winners last ran between 21 and 34 days ago
- 7 of the last 10 winners had recorded their career-best RPR that season
Contenders
Notable Speech – Trained by Charlie Appleby, this five-year-old won this race 12 months ago and comes here off the back of winning the same Woodbine prep race again, posting a joint career-high figure. His last two starts have both produced that level of performance, and there’s scope for even more to come.
Blue Bolt – Trained by Andrew Balding, this filly is unbeaten from her six starts this season, which include four Group 1 wins from her last four starts. She’s been kept against her own sex this year, but her trainer is on record as saying she could take on the colts at this meeting.
True Love – Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this three-year-old filly has had a busy season, as she did at two, and seems to take her racing well, although she was a disappointing favourite in the Juvenile Turf 12 months ago. She’s been stepped up in trip this season, has won over both 7 furlongs and a mile, and produced a career-high last time out.
Lake Forest – Trained by William Haggas, this gelding was touted in the summer by his trainer as part of a ‘plan’, without further comment on what that plan entailed, and he won the Lennox at Goodwood straight after. He’s since been tried twice at a mile, with a run back at 7 furlongs in between, when he finished behind Notable Speech. The first of those mile runs came just a day after his Lennox win, while his latest came in a smaller field, so the extra runners in a race like this should suit. He’s a live one at a price, with the potential to produce a career-best.
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