Sports bettors are in for a treat this weekend with the prestigious 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships scheduled to be staged at Del Mar Racecourse.
The two-day meeting traditionally triggers a global betting frenzy as punters strive to profit from their knowledge of the Sport of Kings.
Intriguingly, fans of online slots are also eager to grab a slice of the action, highlighting the appeal of an event which garners worldwide attention.
Much like slot games, hitting the right combinations with your Breeders’ Cup selections can be the pathway to bumper payouts.
With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the main taking points ahead of the meeting, starting with top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
O’Brien eyeing more Group 1 success
O’Brien has enjoyed another stellar season, claiming victory in 25 Group 1 races. He would equal his own world record of 28 with three more top-level wins.
It would be a brave move to back against him achieving the feat given that four of his runners are the favourites to win their respective races.
True Love has been well backed to win the Juvenile Turf Sprint, while Precise is impossible to oppose in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad is odds-on to crown his season with victory in the Juvenile Turf, while Minnie Hauk is banker material to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Ted set to showcase his Kentucky Derby credentials
Ted Noffey has been touted as a potential superstar in the United States after winning three consecutive races by a total of almost 13 lengths.
The Todd Pletcher-trained two-year-old will put his unbeaten record on the line in the Juvenile on Friday and he looks a good bet to make it four in a row.
He has already been touted as a potential 2026 Kentucky Derby contender and victory at the Breeders’ Cup would trigger a shake-up in the market for that race.
The son of Into Mischief landed the Breeders’ Futurity in the style of a serious horse on his last outing and will be extremely tough to beat at Del Mar.
Notable Speech on a recovery mission
Notable Speech is set to have another crack at the Breeders’ Cup Mile after suffering a narrow defeat in the same race at last year’s meeting.
Last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner looked in good nick on his last run, powering clear of his rivals to claim an impressive victory in the Woodbine Mile in Canada.
His style of running seems ideally suited to North American racecourses and he could be a tough nut to crack in what looks to be a strong renewal of the Mile.
The Lion In Winter ran well in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot earlier this month, but may be unable to fend off Notable Speech in the home straight.
Sovereignty fancied to reign supreme
The 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic could be one for the ages, with several runners holding a genuine chance of adding their names to the roll of honour.
Sierra Leone and Fierceness fought out a thrilling finish to last year’s race and are back for more, while Japanese raider Forever Young adds international flavour to proceedings.
However, they could have their work cut out to match Sovereignty, who has been a class apart against his own age group over ten furlongs this season.
The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner appears to still be improving at the end of his three-year-old campaign, and he can cement his legacy by reigning supreme in the Classic.