Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Tips & Betting Preview

The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf is where we think Aidan O’Brien has his strongest chance of the two day Championships with his top class filly SEVENTH HEAVEN (3/1). A winner of four of her eight starts to date, she has mixed it with the best females in the world. She beat Architecture in the Group 1 Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July in the hands of Seamie Heffernan before going on to win the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks comfortably at York. That form looks rock solid as she had the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found back in second and Queen’s Trust (who is also entered in this race) back in third. She wasn’t herself when last seen; fifth behind Journey at Ascot. She has never raced at 1 mile 2 furlongs, but she has won over a mile and a mile and a half so the trip will be no issue. She is regally bred by Galileo and looks the horse they all have to beat.

The biggest danger to our selection should come in the shape of Lady Eli, a four-year-old filly trained by the imperious Chad Brown. She has only tasted defeat once from her seven career starts and when a debutante can win a Grade 3 you just know that she is going to go on to better things. She won a Grade 1 at Santa Anita on just her second start and went on to land her second Grade 1 in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes in July. Her only defeat came to the hands of Strike Charmer at Saratoga in August, but she swiftly made up for that loss by landing her third Grade 1 in the Flower Bowl Stakes over 1 mile 2 furlongs at Belmont. She likes a fast track and will relish the trip, so there’s no reason why she won’t give Seventh Heaven an almighty battle.

The Sir Michael Stoute trained Queen’s Trust has work to do to reverse the form with Seventh Heaven, but she is here on merit and can’t be discounted. The Dansili filly only tasted victory on debut at Kempton in September 2015, so she has something to prove at present. She has some solid form; fourth in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes behind Even Song at Ascot in June and she was only beaten one and a quarter lengths when second to the mighty Minding in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in July. In August, she ran a good race when third behind Seventh Heaven and Found, form that has worked out really well. When last seen, she did finish ahead of Seventh Heaven when third to Journey in the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot, but the feeling is the Ballydoyle horse didn’t show up on that occasion. It is hard to have faith in Queen’s Trust for win purposes, but there’s no reason why she won’t be on the premises.

Last, but certainly not least, the Chad Brown trained Sea Calisi is well worth a solid mention. Formerly with Francois Doumen in France, she is a former Group 2 winner at Saint Cloud and was only beaten half a length in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks in 2015 behind Pleascach. She started life in America with victory in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Belmont Park before finishing second to stablemate Dacita in the New York Stakes, a race where Chad Brown had the first three home. She was then very well backed for the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington and made no mistake, going on to win by half a length. She has work to do to reverse the form with Lady Eli who beat her by about two lengths in the Flower Bowl Stakes last time out, but she is an each way contender nonetheless.