Sprinter Battaash Could Make Breeders' Cup Bid

Charlie Hills believes Battaash will relish racing around a turn at the Breeders' Cup if owner Hamdan Al Maktoum lets the York record breaker head to California later in the year. 

The superstar sprinter, who lowered Dayjur's 29-year-old track record in the Aug. 22 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (G1), is a top-priced 5-2 for the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, one of up to three races he could contest this autumn.

The Sept.15 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five (G1) at the Curragh and a third tilt at the Oct. 6 Longines Prix de l'Abbaye (G1) are the other races that could be on the agenda for the son of Dark Angel, according to his trainer. 

"We've got to do the right thing for the horse," Hills said Aug. 25. "There are three more races he could run in and they're far enough apart, but we don't want to get too greedy. He's got to have had a hard race on Friday. It must have taken quite a bit out of him. He has only lost 13 kilos and seems as happy as Larry, but we'll see how he is next week and then make a plan from there.

"He could go to Ireland. We're certainly going to have a look at it and see what's in the race. If he looks a shoo-in, we'll obviously have to look at it. The Abbaye's more set, and then the Breeders' Cup is something we'll have to talk to Sheikh Hamdan about.

"Dayjur went there and jumped the shadow, but there is a five-furlong turf race for Battaash—I'd love to see him go around there. I'd have thought he'd turn very well as he's such an agile and well-balanced horse. He should rail pretty well," the trainer continued. "The only concern is gate speed. Those guys are really good from the gate, and sometimes that can be where the race is won and lost. The exciting thing is he's only 5 and he's a gelding. We want him to still be here in three years' time."

Battaash's winning time over five furlongs at York of :55.90 bettered the previous record of :56.16 set by the Sheikh Hamdan-owned Dayjur in 1990, with his trainer still buzzing from what he witnessed in Friday's group 1 sprint.  

"He was amazing—he's just so fast," Hills said. "Midway through the race, all the other horses were off the bridle and their riders were pushing away, and Jim (Crowley) was almost trying to take him back still. He's an amazing athlete, so agile and well balanced. He's such an exciting horse, and I think he's grabbed the public's attention now."

Hills believes the manner of his third straight win in the King George Qatar Stakes (G2) at Goodwood on his run before the Nunthorpe was a significant factor in putting up a performance that earned him a provisional official rating of 127, just shy of Enable, the best horse in the world, at York. 

"We were very conscious of not wanting to give him a hard race at Goodwood," Hills said. "He's been so impressive there in the past, so there was no need to do that. We just wanted to get the job done, but he still broke the track record, so he obviously still went pretty quick. But we didn't want to give him a smack 'round the bum—we just rode him hands and heels.

"He's a stronger, more mature horse than he was last year. You don't get many sprinters who haven't been out of the first four. I think he's only been out of the four once, and that was at Royal Ascot as a 2-year-old when he really did misbehave. He's been so consistent."

Crowley has been in the saddle for 11 of Battaash's past 12 starts and believes the gelding is unbeatable at his best. 

"He was in such good order, and it was an amazing performance," Crowley said. "I was so pleased for him to win how he did, and it was nice to beat Dayjur's track record at York.

"On his day, he is absolutely brilliant, and I've always said there's nothing around that can beat him at his best. Sometimes he just hasn't shown that brilliance and you're left scratching your head a little bit, but equally that's what people love about him and that's what makes him so interesting.

"This year he's been very good and so consistent. Mentally, he's settled down a lot, which has been key."