Abdullah to send strong team to Kentucky

Teddy Grimthorpe believes Sea Moon has the right credentials to make his mark in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs next month.

Although the mighty Frankel will not be making a Stateside trip this year, owner Khalid Abdullah is still sending a strong team to Kentucky.

Sea Moon was a brilliant winner of the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and could be counted an unlucky loser when third in the St Leger at Doncaster.

Grimthorpe, Abdullah's racing manager, said: "He won really well at York and really didn't get the run of the race in the St Leger.

"He got blocked a few times but he ran a very decent race and he's been in very good form since. The Breeders' Cup Turf just seems to have come in right for him.

"He had a slow spring and he just wasn't quite right and it just took a while for him to get going. We hoped he might be a Derby horse at one stage.

"He's quite a robust horse both in character and type, so I don't think you'd worry too much (about going to America)."

Grimthorpe confirmed Sea Moon will stay in training as a four-year-old.

Abdullah is set to be doubly represented in the Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf, with Midday and Announce both booked on the plane.

Midday won the race in 2009 and was beaten just a neck a year ago and is set to sign off her racing career on 4 November.

Henry Cecil's five-year-old came from a long way back to finish fourth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last weekend.

"She's come out of it really well and she just got shuffled back a bit too far," Grimthorpe told Racing UK.

"She did make up quite a bit of ground to get up for fourth and she looked like she hadn't finished her business. She was looking like she wanted to go on and do a bit more.

"Henry has got her in the Turf as well, so we'll take a peek at that, but I would think the first preference will be the Filly And Mare Turf."

"I think she'll retire after this year. She's a remarkable lady."

Announce, trained in France by Andre Fabre, is also a Group One winner this year having landed the Prix Jean Romanet in August and she was only narrowly beaten by Nahrain in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on Arc day.

"She ran a marvellous race and she won the Romanet before that," Grimthorpe continued.

"It was just a head-bobber in the l'Opera and it just went the wrong way, but she's been in great shape since and Andre is very pleased with her.

"She's four now so she's been about a little bit. I would think she'll cope with it all.

"She has two options I think (after the Breeders" Cup). Either she could stay in America or she could come back to the stud."

Set to complete Abdullah's Breeders' Cup challenge is the Mile-bound Byword, who beat Champion Stakes winner Cirrus Des Aigles in the Prix Dollar last time out.

"His form looks quite sharp now, but he's always been a good horse and won the Prince Of Wales's Stakes," Grimthorpe added.

"He's had a slightly truncated season but he came back really well in the Dollar and he hadn't run since June. It was a pretty smart performance.

"The dirt option (Breeders' Cup Classic) would not be for him anyway and he's a top-class horse so we want to give him a shot.

"We also have Hong Kong in mind for him and he could end up in the mile and a quarter race there.

"That said, he's a genuine contender at a mile."