Trainer watching Rocky movies as motivation for underdog $1m Breeders' Cup challenge

Adam West, who saddled Live In The Dream to a stunning victory in York’s Nunthorpe Stakes, will take on the world with the star sprinter at the Breeders’ Cup in California

Adam West, the trainer whose actor namesake played ‘Batman’, has turned to another Hollywood franchise to prepare for his trip to the Breeders’ Cup.

He has been rewatching the ultimate underdog movie, ‘Rocky’, to motivate him for the challenge that the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint will present at Santa Anita, in Los Angeles in November.

The 34-year-old West, who trains in Epsom, was a relative lightweight in the big race arena without a victory in any type of Group race until Live In The Dream felled favourite Highfield Princess and Bradsell in the Group 1 £500,000 Nunthorpe Stakes last month.

Seventies blockbuster Rocky, written and played by then unknown actor Sylvester Stallone, tells the story of a journeyman heavyweight boxer who gets the chance to fight Apollo Creed for the world title.

Live In The Dream, owners Steve and Jolene De’Lemos, West and jockey Sean Kirrane are now in the midst of their own rags-to-riches tale.

They have all been living the dream since Live In The Dream’s 28-1 success at York, which earned the gelding a guaranteed start at the Breeders’ Cup, and has captured the public imagination.

Despite his minnow status West hopes Live In The Dream can deliver their own Hollywood ending on Santa Anita's famous downhill sprint course

“I watched Rocky again last night and Rocky 2 and we are definitely coming up against Apollo in a few of those Americans," said West. "But it would be great to duke it out with them."

The four-year-old gelding is set to get an early test of what he will up against at the Breeders’ Cup by travelling first to the US to contest the Woodford Stakes at Keeneland on October 7.

“That will let him get experience of American racing, the stalls, the bell, everything,” said West. “We’ll treat it as a prep race. It’s a nice few weeks before the Breeders’ Cup then hel will travel down from Kentucky to California.

“I imagine we’ll be taking on the American favourites and they may have an advantage in the Woodford over five and a half furlongs but we’d be happy to take them on again at Santa Anita over five.

“It will be a great experience for Sean as well to get his eye in.”

Live In The Dream’s official rating has risen to a career best 118, “as high as Stradivarius”. West said. “It’s lovely to have such a prestigious mark.”