Timeform: Handicapping the Europeans in the Breeders' Cup

Sky Sports Racing senior analyst Jamie Lynch is offering a complete rundown of the Breeders' Cup European shippers in our Breeders’ Cup Guide. This excerpt covers the Juvenile Turf Sprint. To get coverage of the rest of the races click here.

JUVENILE TURF SPRINT

MIGHTY GURKHA

Style: prominent racer

First things first: the Europeans in this spot are virtually the same horse on Timeform UK ratings, and that level isn’t near good enough, based on the winning standard the last two years, when one third was the best Europe managed with 12 shots.

Mighty Gurkha’s two wins came around a bend on a synthetic surface over a full six furlongs. Comes to Keeneland off his worst run, albeit on heavy ground, and he’s liable to be on the back foot straight away from his inside draw.

LIPIZZANER

Style: does his best work at the finish

Fine-looking son of Uncle Mo, but hasn’t lived up to expectations. It seemed that Ballydoyle harbored high hopes for him from an early stage, as he was the favorite for his first two starts and went off at 5-2 against Golden Pal for the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was short on speed in that race and came home in fourth, 5 1/4 lengths behind Golden Pal.

He’s getting better, but gradually rather than gainfully, and his win last time came in a mere listed race, over six furlongs on soft ground, and he still made hard work of it. I can only see him being run off his feet.

UBETTABELIEVEIT

Style: comes from off the pace

His only defeats in five races were in his debut and when rank in the Gimcrack Stakes, his only start beyond five furlongs. Bounced back from that to win at odds of 40-1 in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster last time, beaten a short head, but the performance wasn’t a match for the previous two winners of the race, Soldier’s Call and A’Ali, and they finished sixth and 10th in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The faster they go the better he’ll be, and I can see Ubettabelieveit doing best of the Euro trio, but it’s a mini-battle that will likely be decided down the field.

** Click here to get more Breeders' Cup European analysis as part of DRF's Breeders' Cup Player's Guide. The guide features analysis, selections, a pace analysis of the races, and more.