Azeri goes for Breeders' Classic

Punters and bookmakers alike have been caught on the hop after star American trainer D. Wayne Lukas revealed that Azeri is to tackle the $4m Breeders' Cup Classic in Texas this Saturday.

Backers on both sides of the Atlantic had assumed that the 2002 Horse of the Year would stick to her own sex in the Distaff, but Lukas feels that the powerful chestnut has earned her chance against Pleasantly Perfect and company in a race which now looks certain to live up to its name.

Corals had made Azeri their 11-8 favourite to win the Distaff for the second time but reacted to news of the dramatic late switch by quoting her at 14-1 for the Classic.

Hills took a much more cautious view by installing her at just 8-1 and Lukas, while admitting that the decision was largely down to owner Michael Paulson, warned that Azeri "is as good as human hands can make her right now."

The extrovert California handler, whose 17 successes make him the most successful trainer in Breeders' Cup history, acknowledges that no mare has ever won the Classic but is adamant that statistic is there to be broken.

"We've never had much fun in the shallow end of the pool and so we're going to jump in deep," he said. "Her last run in the Spinster Stakes was a perfect prep, as we've been working all fall to try to get her to relax and she did it beautifully.

"Every one of the 17 Breeders' Cup wins was damn special. It's something we point towards from April onwards and now we're stepping out of the box to try and do something which has never been done before. We'll cause them all some trouble and for $4m I don't care who the hell else shows up!"

Meanwhile, Ed Dunlop had no such surprises for punters after it was confirmed that Ouija Board will tackle the $1m Filly & Mare Turf as opposed to the more valuable Turf.

Hills make Ed Dunlop's dual Oaks heroine their 2-1 favourite, while her big-race rider Kieren Fallon will get some valuable early experience of Lone Star when he rides in the International Jockeys' Challenge which takes place there tomorrow.

One of the main reasons why Ouija Board is bypassing the Turf is to avoid a clash with the star American colt Kitten's Joy.

The fast-improving El Prado colt continues to harden as favourite for the $2m contest and heads into the race as 10-11 favourite with Hills and carrying a ringing endorsement from his owner Ken Ramsey.

"We have Nothing To Lose in the Mile and Roses In May in

the Classic, but Kitten's Joy has to be our best shot," said the telecommunications millionaire.

"He's very consistent and training super and, barring a miscalculation on someone's part, he's going to be very tough to beat."

Breeders' Cup Classic betting (William Hill): 7-4 Pleasantly Perfect, 9-2 Ghostzapper, 11-2 Birdstone, Roses In May, 8 Azeri, 11 Funny Cide, 12 bar.

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