SHIROCCO IS AWFULLY SMART

Like most US turf races, the Breeders' Cup Turf isn't usually run in a fast time. Normally American jockeys are scared of going much of a pace in races of ten furlongs or more - because they know their mounts just aren't bred to go that sort of distance at racing pace. But this time, thanks to the rain and a decent gallop set by Shake The Bank, the Breeders' Cup Turf provided a real test of stamina. This being so it was hardly surprising that the European runners dominated.

SHIROCCO (44) won the race, earning the same speed rating I awarded him when he beat Italian champ Electrocutionist at this time last year.

Clearly Shirocco is a very smart horse when there's cut in the ground. Like his sire Monsun he really excels when it rains. But it's perfectly possible he can win on a faster surface, and I'd like to see him try.

Runner-up ACE (43) is unfortunate to be around at a time when so many brilliant middle distance horses are in training. He has now lost all nine Group 1 races he's contested but has run fast enough to win a big international contest like this on no less than four occasions according to my speed ratings.

The extraordinarily consistent AZAMOUR (43) got into a bit of traffic trouble. But although he might well have finished second I don't think he'd have gotten by the winner if he'd enjoyed a clear passage. On faster ground I dare say he would have won. No doubt he'll now go to stud. It will be sad to see him go, but I guess he's done enough with those three Group 1 wins and all those great runs in some of the top races.

BAGO (42), like Azamour, may well have done better on faster ground. And I still wish he'd have been steered towards the breeders' Cup Classic instead. I've long felt that his pedigree, stride pattern, physique and running style made him a great prospect for dirt. But now it looks like we'll never know.

STEVIE WONDERBOY COULD BEAT THE JUVENILE JINX

American racing professionals are convinced that if a horse is going to win the Kentucky Derby they shouldn't run it in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. So many winners of the big two year old race have failed that the prejudice against it has almost become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Last Saturday however we saw a seriously fast horse win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile that looks built and bred to stay the Kentucky Derby distance. The horse was STEVIE WONDERBOY (39) who earned a solid Group 1 class speed rating to beat a strong field.

The most encouraging thing about Stevie Wonderboy's performance was the way he stayed on so powerfully in the last furlong. It looked like he would have been a runaway winner if the race had been run over an extra furlong. Indeed his trainer has already said "he's got the disposition of a mile-and-a-quarter horse". It certainly looked that way so I'm rather interested in Stevie Wonderboy's chances in next year's 'run for the roses'.