Kickback a New Challenge for Roaring Lion in BC Classic

A potentially glorious swan song awaits Roaring Lion in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) next weekend—but so, too, does a challenge trainer John Gosden described Oct. 24 as "massive."

Roaring Lion will need to beat the Americans at their own game by handling racing on dirt for the first time and all the demands that come with it.

Connections are playing with house money at Churchill Downs as the 3-year-old is to be retired after his stateside sojourn, but Gosden is concerned whether the kickback he will encounter in the $6 million grade 1 will disrupt his rhythm and potentially leave him floundering behind homespun talent.

"It's a massive challenge to race on the dirt," Gosden said. "We don't want a sloppy track. That's a real acquired taste—usually the jockeys with the cleanest silks win, which tells you something. But it's actually not so much the surface. I've found down the years the problem is the kickback. What they do is they immediately start climbing as they're not used to it—their breathing gets interrupted. They're not seasoned to it.

"It's unknown waters, and I think it's very brave and bold of the owners. Roaring Lion is probably not expecting to get on a plane—but he's tough enough for it."

Qatar Racing's colt is 4-1 second favorite with Sky Bet—and a top-priced 10-1—for the Classic and heads into the race off the back of his fourth consecutive group 1 triumph, which came in challenging circumstances at Ascot last weekend.

But while handling the drop back to a mile from a mile and a quarter on ground softer than ideal in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1)  was an impressive effort, Roaring Lion will need to surpass himself a week from Saturday.

Asked whether a change in tactics could be employed in an attempt to minimize kickback, either by running closer to the pace or out wide in the field, Gosden added: "It's not an easy thing to do. You need enormous speed from the gate in America.

"To suddenly think we're going to start breaking faster than their horses is probably not something that's going to happen. And if you go wide, you give all the ground away. It's a big ask."

Gosden's other Breeders' Cup runner, Enable, has her own mountain to climb as she bids to become the first Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner to succeed at the meeting the same year.

Eight previous Arc winners have tried and failed in heading on to the Breeders' Cup, including Dancing Brave, Sakhee, and Golden Horn.

British and Irish bookmakers think Enable can end the hoodoo, making her 4-6 for the turf, and she heads to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) off a light campaign after returning from injury.

Gosden said: "She comes relatively fresh after two runs, and we'd be hopeful of a big run. But when you're shipping that far, you don't go there full of confidence until you know how the horse has traveled."

In 2015, the Gosden-trained Golden Horn was unable to follow up victory at Longchamp in the turf at Keeneland, finishing second to Found.

Reflecting on that performance, Gosden said: "He wasn't beaten by anything other than the fact it rained an inch and a half and the track was very deep and loose. He spun his wheels and hated the surface."

Returning to Enable, Gosden does not expect the layout of Churchill Downs to impede the filly as she tackles 1 1/2 miles around three turns.

"It's a sand-based track and rides pretty well," he said. "It's tight, but she went round Chester on the second race of her 3-year-old career and handled that particularly well, and she got round Epsom. I think the track will be fine."

While Roaring Lion and Cracksman will not be back at Gosden's Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket next year, Enable might stay in training as a 5-year-old, with a decision to be made after she runs at the Breeders' Cup.

Aidan O'Brien has been readying his Breeders' Cup Classic contender Mendelssohn  in the U.S. this season, giving the colt four runs after his spectacular victory in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) on Dubai World Cup night.

Mendelssohn's first experience of racing in the U.S. was a baptism by fire as he trailed home last in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). However, he has subsequently finished second in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and was third last time in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

"We've been happy with his three runs up to the Classic," O'Brien said Wednesday. "We think he's progressed with every run."

O'Brien is responsible for 20 of the record 48 European-trained horses who appeared among Breeders' Cup entries unveiled Wednesday.