Rain won’t hamper Horn

FRANKIE DETTORI has played down fears that the rain which has hit Kentucky will prevent Arc and Derby victor Golden Horn finishing his career on a winning high in Saturday’s $3million Breeders’ Cup Turf.

More heavy rain is expected today followed by a dry spell and conditions are still being called good to soft.

Dettori, who rode Richard Hannon-trained Juvenile Fillies Turf mount Illuminate on the Keeneland training track yesterday, said: ‘You can’t change the weather but all the experts say if you have one dry day here it goes back to quite a quick track. We have three dry days after tomorrow so I expect it to be fine. Golden Horn has been a dream horse for me and every challenge we have asked him, he has passed.

‘This is another challenge but I am going to embrace it because it will be my last time riding him. Just getting him here has been an achievement. We all want to see him win.’ Golden Horn has a railside draw in stall one on the tight Turf circuit but Dettori (left) added: ‘I would rather be in one than 12. Golden Horn has been very professional and I have a bit of speed drawn next to me.’ Coral have cut Golden Horn to 1-2 favourite for the Turf. Dettori, the sixth most successful jockey in Breeders’ Cup history with 11 wins, has six mounts at the meeting with other leading chances on his July Cup winner Undrafted in the Turf Sprint and Judy The Beauty, who tries to win the Fillies & Mare Sprint for the second successive year.

Both are trained by Wesley Ward and Dettori added: ‘Breeders’ Cup races are hard to win but I have some quality rides. Thursday is important.

‘I have not ridden here for 20 years and Wesley has kindly put me on a couple of horses with chances just to get into the Breeders’ Cup mode. Their racing is different from ours. You need to switch to America mode.

‘I have a chance to settle down and look at some races beforehand and come up with a plan.’