Irishmen Weld, O'Brien Battle at Breeders' Cup

It seemed Irish eyes were smiling at Del Mar the morning of Nov. 3.

While Aidan O'Brien, known as the Master of Ballydoyle, watched frontside as his Breeders' Cup horses galloped past, Dermot Weld, 21 times a champion trainer in Ireland, was a backstretch railbird as his charge Tarnawa  was on track.

The dynamic training duo will be rivals Nov. 6 when Tarnawa defends her title in the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). The Shamardal  mare, owned by His Highness the Aga Khan, won the race last year at Keeneland.

"She's handled her traveling extremely well. We're very happy with her," Weld said. "I know it's soon after the Arc, but she's training good. She's in superb order. I am very happy with the way she traveled."

Tarnawa ran second in the Arc, officially the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), at ParisLongchamp Oct. 3. The race was just her third start of the year since last year's Breeders' Cup, following a win in the Aug. 5 Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown and a runner-up finish in the Sept. 11 Irish Champion Stakes (G1) there.

Tarnawa's Del Mar appearance is not the first for a Weld-trained runner. Mrs. A. J. F. O'Reilly's Theoretically  finished second in the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) in 2000 for Weld at the seaside track.

Though Theoretically was a half-length short of victory, Weld is no stranger to victories in the U.S., or anywhere. A two-time winner of Australia's prestigious Melbourne Cup (G1), Weld has notched 12 North American graded stakes victories, including Go and Go's historic score in the 1990 Belmont Stakes (G1). Among the horses defeated by Go and Go was Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Unbridled, who finished fourth.

WATCH: Weld Reflects on Go and Go, Tarnawa's BC Turf Repeat Bid

"It was a very special day, something I thought about for a long time," Weld recalled Wednesday. "He was the right horse to bring to win the race. He put up a wonderful performance."

He seems to have brought the right horse to Del Mar this year. In capturing the race last year, Tarnawa passed seven rivals in the final quarter-mile under jockey Colin Keane, who returns for the ride on Saturday.

Second to her last year was the O'Brien-trained Magical , giving females the exacta.

This year, O'Brien will try to beat her with males. Having opted to run Love  in the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), O'Brien has two 5-year-old horses left in the body of the 14-horse field for the Turf: Broome  and Japan . Bolshoi Ballet  and Mogul  are alternates for O'Brien that could draw into the 1 1/2-mile race with scratches.

"The colts were four group 1 winners, and this was the best chance of getting them in," O'Brien said Nov. 2 of the decision to run Love in the Filly & Mare Turf.

O'Brien's runners are owned by Coolmore-affiliated connections, such as Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith.

While Tarnawa is Weld's lone Breeders' Cup starter, O'Brien has other opportunities during the two-day event.

Besides Love in the Filly & Mare Turf, Glounthaune  starts for him Nov. 5 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), and Mother Earth  goes in the FanDuel Breeders' Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T).

"We hope they run well, really," O'Brien said before mentioning the fine form of Mother Earth this season.

O'Brien swept the 1-2-3 finishes in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, topped by a longshot victory from Order of Australia . The latter will miss the race this year following a recent career-ending injury.

O'Brien is a 13-time Breeders' Cup winner from 156 starters with more than $26.6 million in purse earnings. Weld won his first Breeders' Cup race last year with Tarnawa, his 17th starter.