A’Ali’s $1m warm-up

SIMON CRISFORD has tried to prepare his speedy two-year- old A’Ali for the demands of sprinting around a bend at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita next week with a workout at Wolverhampton.

A’Ali will be one of up to seven European contenders in the $1million Juvenile Turf sprint a week tomorrow hoping to give the overseas raiders a flying start at the 36th running at a meeting dubbed ‘the World Cup of racing’.

A’Ali, ridden by Frankie Dettori, was the winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

Ed Crisford, assistant trainer to his father, said: ‘Santa Anita is a tight track. He has never raced around a bend before. We took him to Wolverhampton last week to get him used to that whole process.

‘He has been an incredibly consistent colt this season over five furlongs. His only disappointing run was in the Prix Morny over six furlongs on heavy ground.’

Twenty vets will be on duty on Breeders’ Cup race days with pre-race inspections ramped up at

Santa Anita following the death of 34 horses during either racing or training since last December at the track outside Los Angeles.

The fatalities meant the track was closed for evaluation in March and there was even a meeting of the Breeders’ Cup board before it was confirmed Santa Anita would host the fixture for a record 10th time.

With pressure from an anti-racing group in California, a sense of nervousness hangs over the meeting.

But Aidan O’Brien, the Irish trainer who is responsible for almost half the 35-strong European contingent heading for California, including Anthony Van Dyck (Turf), Circus Maximus (Turf Mile) and Magical (Filly & Mares’ Turf), has sought no extra assurances about the track.

He said: ‘We know everyone is doing their best and they will have the track the best they possibly can have it.’