The 2025 Breeders’ Cup takes place this weekend at Del Mar racecourse in California. A meeting that boasts global appeal, highlighting glitz and American glamour like no other, there is set to be a strong European team travelling to claim numerous prizes, predominantly on the turf.
Here, we will outline the dates and times of the meeting, as well as diving into some of the key contests featuring the headline British and Irish runners so that you can prepare for all of the high octane action from the States.
Breeders’ Cup 2025 Dates & Times
The 2025 Breeders’ Cup gets off to a spooky start, with the opening days’ contests beginning on Halloween. The first race takes place on Friday, 31st October at 9.45pm UK time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, with that card concluding in the early hours of the following day in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at 12.25am. Friday’s action centres around the search for future stars, with every race for the two-year-olds.
Later on Saturday, 1st November, the main event begins with the championship contests starting at 7pm UK time. That opening race is the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, with the action once again unfolding until the small hours of Sunday, 2nd November as the curtain is drawn with the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at 12.25am.
Breeders’ Cup Friday Schedule
*all UK times
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: 9.45pm
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies: 10.25pm
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: 11.05pm
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile: 11.45pm
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf: 12.25am (Saturday)
Breeders’ Cup Saturday Schedule
- Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint: 7.00pm
- Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint: 7.41pm
- Breeders’ Cup Sprint: 8.21pm
- Breeders’ Cup Distaff: 9.01pm
- Breeders’ Cup Turf: 9.41pm
- Breeders’ Cup Classic: 10.25pm
- Breeders’ Cup Mile: 11.05pm
- Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile: 11.45pm
- Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf: 12.25am (Sunday)
How to watch the 2025 Breeders’ Cup in the UK
Subscribers to Sky Sports Racing in the UK will be able to watch every single one of the 14 Group 1 contests at Del Mar over the two days. However, for those not subscribed, there will be three Breeders’ Cup races broadcast live on ITV4 on Saturday night, those being the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (9.01pm), the Breeders’ Cup Turf (9.41pm) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (10.25pm).
Equally, there will be live streaming of Breeders’ Cup races on a variety of UK bookmakers if you place a bet on the 2025 Breeders’ Cup. This will also ensure you can watch all of the action.
Who are the best British & Irish contenders at this year’s Breeders’ Cup?
Aidan O’Brien trains the favourite in each of the three turf contests on the Friday of the Breeders’ Cup. All of his trio of juveniles will be well known to domestic audiences; True Love heads the market for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint having won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, Precise is the clear favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf seeking to extend her unbeaten run to five, including three straight Group 1s, and Gstaad is verging on odds-on for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf despite his run of three seconds in a row. The latter pair will have to contend with the widest possible draws in stalls 13 and 14 respectively.
O’Brien can also rely upon decent backup in the Juvenile Turf Sprint with both Brussels and Mission Central involved in the field, while there is British interest courtesy of Godolphin’s Military Code for Charlie Appleby and Aspect Island for James Owen. O’Brien’s son Donnacha has a decent chance too with the filly Havana Anna.
Donnacha also has Balantina prepared for the opening day in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf to support Aidan’s Precise, while Joseph O’Brien has Queen Of Hawaii among the participants. The only British runner in this contest represents Juddmonte and Andrew Balding in Pacific Mission.
In the Juvenile Turf just after midnight, Gstaad may be the main event, but once again an O’Brien disciple backs him up in North Coast for Joseph. Ardisia is the sole British combatant for Hugo Palmer and Oisin Murphy.
The Saturday is where glory is sought even more fervently though. In the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, the second Group 1 on the Saturday schedule, there are four British and Irish contenders. Adrian Murray and Amo Racing have two, with Arizona Blaze, a runner-up in the Juvenile Turf Sprint a year ago, and Bucanero Fuerte both likely chances, while fellow Irish-trained runner She’s Quality and the evergreen British veteran Khaadem the other raiders aiming to wrestle the prize away from the States.
Murray and Amo will be hoping for a non runner in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on the dirt as Valiant Force is the reserve for the race. If getting a run, he would be the only European runner on the dirt at this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
The Breeders’ Cup Turf is the likeliest race to return to European shores, not least because it has done for each of the past five renewals and nine of the previous ten. British, Irish and French runners own the top six places in the betting, while there are nine European raiders in the 14-strong field. The headline-maker could well be Minnie Hauk, the two-time Oaks winner and Arc runner-up, though dual Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance will be a fearsome opponent for Godolphin. Former King George hero Goliath represents France having bounced back to form last time, so there are multiple nations whose hopes are pinned to this race.
Beyond that trio, Amiloc (Ralph Beckett), Wimbledon Hawkeye (James Owen), Ethical Diamond (Willie Mullins), El Cordobes (Charlie Appleby), Rashabar (Brian Meehan) and Silawi (Hamad Al Jehani) all strengthen the visiting contingent.
Another promising race for the visitors is the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the third last race of the meeting. Notable Speech only just ran out of time to win this contest 12 months ago, but returns for what may be a successful swansong. Nevertheless, he may have to be at his very best, with four other European runners in The Lion In Winter for Aidan O’Brien, Sahlan for Francis-Henri Graffard, and two Juddmonte representatives for British trainers in Jonquil and the shock 150/1 Sussex Stakes hero Qirat.
The final Breeders’ Cup contest could also be brought down with another European victory. The consistent pair See The Fire and Cinderella’s Dream head the betting for Andrew Balding and Charlie Appleby respectively, with Appleby also entering Diamond Rain. Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien pin their hopes to Bedtime Story and Atsila, with British hopes extending down to Cathedral for Amo Racing and Kevin Philippart De Foy. French viewers will be cheering home Gezora, the 2025 Prix De Diane winner for Graffard.
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