ALL eyes will be focused on the west coast of the US next weekend and the Breeders’ Cup Classic is at the centre of the action – now going off in the centre of the card.

To take advantage of a two and a half-hour national broadcast window on NBC - which also is televising college football and other events next Saturday - post time for the Classic will be 9:41pm. There will be four Breeders’ Cup races before and four championship races after the Classic.

With no outstanding dirt horse in the US, it looks like making for a bigger than normal field for the Classic, which also includes three strong challengers from Japan, who are sending a bigger than usual team to the event.

Arcangues (1993) and Raven’s Pass (2008) remain the only two European-trained winners of the Classic.

Twelve runners last season was the biggest field since 14 lined up at Churchill Downs in 2018. With Aidan O’Brien on record as saying City Of Troy will be ridden to go forward, this could represent the biggest challenge.

The betting appears to dictate that the Kentucky Derby is the key race, with the second and third Forever Young and Sierra Leone to the forefront behind the Derby’s beaten favourite Fierceness. Arthurs Ride and National Treasure tend to be front runners, so they could hold the key. Derma Sotogake took second last year, with Ushba Tesoro fifth and they return to add to the Japanese challenge to a fascinating contest.

Classic betting: 7/4 City Of Troy, 5/1 Fierceness, 11/2 Forever Young, 12 Sierra Leone, 16 Highland Falls, Ushba Tesoro, 25 Arthurs Ride, National Treasure, Newgate, Tapit Trice, 33 Skippylongstocking; 40 Next, Post Time, Senor Buscador

Rest of Saturday

The main action begins at 7pm with the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint with the oddsmakers putting the three-year-old Ways And Means and Society (fourth last year) at the top of their markets. Asmussen’s filly could go close this time.

A possible six-horse European challenge, including last year’s juvenile sprint winner Big Evs, this season’s top sprinter Bradsell and multiple group-placed Believing, have their work cut out against a US top-notcher in Cogburn. The draw and the break will be the key and you would expect the likes of Believing to be too far back come the straight.

The 8.21pm Distaff had looked like one of the races of the meeting, but last year’s winner Idiomatic was retired yesterday, leaving the three-year-old star Thorpedo Anna, who met her only defeat in six 2024 outings, when beaten narrowly in the Grade 1 Travers by Fierceness, as the main attraction.

Illinois looks the Aidan O’Brien number one in the Turf, but has a strong opponent from Britain in Rebel’s Romance, while the US number one is Far Bridge, who has found form with a vengeance on his last two Grade 1-winning efforts. Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe looks well-prepared for this and, on his run against Economics in August, could be the value at around 7/1.

In the very competitive Filly & Mare Turf, Emily Upjohn’s Prix Vermeille third was boosted by Bluestocking and Adventure in the Arc, but her early season form was below her best. Appleby’s Cinderella’s Dream won two legs of the NYRA Oaks series. Content is solid, while Ylang Ylang is one of the more disappointing fillies of the season. The home team have not won since 2018, but Anisette and War Like Goddess are longer odds than they should be.

With a couple of Japanese runners against the US team, the Sprint on dirt is probably left alone for betting purposes.

We have to wait to 11.45pm for the Mile and the best chance of European success with Notable Speech, Porta Fortuna and Ramatuelle all bringing top Group 1 form.

The 2000 Guineas winner aims for a four in a row for connections after Master Of The Seas, Modern Games and Space Blues, but the French filly has a terrific turn of foot and can add to the three previous great female French-trained winners in Miesque, Six Perfections and Goldikova.

NEXT Friday’s card is made up of five Grade 1s for juveniles and brought two wins for the European raiders last season.

Japanese challenger Ecoro Sieg is to the fore in post-race betting for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint against Big Mojo, who bids for a famous second success for Mick Appleby.

Godolphin and Brad Cox head the Juvenile Fillies, with the three-race unbeaten Immersive over the impressive Grade 1 Frizette winner Scottish Lassie.

The Juvenile Colts (11.45pm) looks a proper contest with the dual Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick taking on Godolphin’s impressive Grade 1 Keeneland winner East Avenue. Ecoro Azel and Shin Believe add another element from Japan.

We have to wait until 12.25pm for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, which looks like having the biggest field with 14 pre-entries and a few reserves.

British stables head the betting, with the one-two from Woodbine’s Grade 1 Summer Stakes New Century (Andrew Balding) and Al Qudra (Charlie Appleby). New Century was impressive, but got the run of the race that day.

Chad Brown’s triple winner Zulu Kingdom, an Irish-bred son of Ten Sovereigns looks the best of the US team.

Friday card

9:45 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade I)

10:25 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I)

11:05 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade I)

11:45 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I)

12:25 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade I)

Saturday card

7.00 PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade I)

7:41 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade I)

8:21 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Grade I)

9:01 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (Grade I)

9:41 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I)

10:25 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade I)

11:05 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade I)

11:45 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (Grade I)

12:25 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Grade I)