Horse Racing tips: Matt Chapman's Saturday Santa Anita picks

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03 November 2023

Horse Racing tips: Matt Chapman's Saturday Santa Anita picks

Matt Chapman’s Horse Racing Tips

SATURDAY’S BREEDERS’ CUP SELECTIONS

18.30 Codys Wish
19:10 Warm Heart
19:50 Goodnight Olive
20:30 Master Of The Seas
21:30 Clairiere(each-way)
21:50 Onesto
22:40 Ushba Tesoro
23:25 Aesops Fables(each-way)
00:00 Gunite(each-way)

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

The main Breeders’ Cup day gets under way here with the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. I’d have really fancied the Crisford hope Algiers in this if he hadn’t been pulled out earlier in the week and now the race should be at the mercy of defending champion CODYS WISH.

The simple truth is that it’s not the most competitive renewal ever, and Cody’s Wish has not done much wrong since his success at Keeneland last year. The two horses that have beaten him recently skip this for the Classic.

Now the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over 1m2f. Inspiral has been well supported and her stamina really should be no issue. I’ve been split between backing In Italian, second to Tuesday last year, eachway or WARM HEART and I just feel the fact the latter can race close to the pace but is stamina laden and that will make the difference. Aidan O’Brien’s Yorkshire Oaks and Vermeille winner is improving all the time.

Back to the dirt for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint – but be warned it’s over 7f. Hard to get away from GOODNIGHT OLIVE who is a popeye selection from a fine box in stall 1.

The Chad Brown hope took this last year at Keeneland and has been in pretty good form this season with a Grade 1 win at Keeneland back in April. It’s easy to ignore a defeat at Saratoga as the track was a mess and muddy.

On the grass again here for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Mawj has every chance of making all, but I’m going to rely on former Guineas runner-up MASTER OF THE SEAS even though he has a horrible draw in stall 14.

Charlie Appleby banged in a Group 1 the other day at Doncaster and Master of the Seas has been in good shape this term, scoring at Ascot and Woodbine before chasing home Turf hope Up to the Mark at Keeneland last time. He tends to dwell at the stalls, so I imagine William Buick will drop him out and ride for luck down the home straight. He’ll finish with a rattle hopefully.

The big one for the filly and mares on dirt in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff over 1m1f. This promises to be a belter with many in form horses. CLAIRIERE was third in this last year against a decent field but faces two improvers here in Idiomatic and Adare Manor.

I’m hoping the Steve Asmussen runner will still be good enough and Joel Rosario on top is a bonus. The Mae disappointed in the slop at Saratoga last time but had a good win at Belmont back in June in Grade 1 company and gets this trip well. A few quid each-way.

Now the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf over 1m4f. What a field with Derby hero Auguste Rodin up against Juddmonte International hero Mostahdaf and Champion Stakes winner King of Steel. It’s the Arc third ONESTO that interests me under Maxime Guyon.

The pair have a good draw to drop in from and his third behind Ace Impact air Longchamp was a fine effort and proved once again that this trip holds no fears for the former Grand Prix de Paris winner. He is the one horse whose coat has been clipped that I have seen this week, but he still looks in good shape and I like French runners at the Breeders’ Cup.

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The big one of the night for all US fans in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. A depleted field with many leading lights injured in the last week or so. USHBA TESORO was a crazy winner of the Dubai World Cup when he picked up Algiers from miles off the pace.

However, the big Japanese hope has since banged in a Grade 2 back home when racing in a totally different style and clearly has bundles of ability. He’s now won six of his ten starts and the trip is no issue at all – he has run as far as 1m5f back home and made his debut over 1m3f. I’ll chance him under Yuga Kawada.

On the turf here for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over 5f. This is a very hard race for me to tip in as I so want Live in the Dream to win for Adam West. Of those at each-way prices I can’t help but feel Abbaye third AESOPS FABLES is too big a price for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

The selection was miles behind Live in the Dream in the Nunthorpe when last and he was sent off at 28-1 so no one fancied him that day. However, he was good in France and he’s lightly raced. He might just fly home here from off the pace.

Finally the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint on dirt over 6f. Elite Power is a bull – biggest backside on him you can imagine – but I like GUNITE each-way for Steve Asmussen and Tyler Gaffalione.

He didn’t get home over 1m last time but prior to that was a Grade 1 winner at 7f having not stayed over a mile in the Dirt Mile last year at Keeneland. He’ll finish off well over 6f here and might surprise one or two. An each-way wager.

So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?