How To Bet $30 on Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup

Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup is all about the two-year-olds and there are no shortage of young raiders venturing over to Del Mar from Britain and Ireland.

The highest-rated of our challengers is Hugo Palmer’s Dubawi Legend, the Dewhurst runner-up, who will line-up in a maximum field of 14 in the Juvenile Turf.

He’s been shunted out to 6-1 after being drawn widest of all but I cannot let him go unbacked at that price because he’s clearly got the best form on offer, is open to more improvement stepping up to a mile and has the gate speed to overcome his tricky starting position.

Dubawi Legend dragged his rivals out of their comfort zones from the front at Newmarket last month, with Europe’s top two-year-old, Native Trail, only getting to grips with him in the closing stages. Group Two winners Bayside Boy, since placed again at the highest level, and Berkshire Shadow were the next pair home and give the form a glow.

The ground will be quicker in California but that should suit the Dubawi colt, who won impressively on quick going on his Doncaster debut. Put a line through his next run, when third in the Acomb at York, as he was found to be off-colour.

James Doyle will have to ensure his mount is not asleep in the stalls but that’s not been a problem in his previous races and, if breaking on terms, there’s no reason why he cannot get into a decent position before the first of two turns.

He’s got five American-trained rivals immediately on his inside – the four other Europeans in the race are drawn low - and you can bet they will be looking to swiftly get across, so the upside of being wide is that at least he should avoid any early scrimmaging and may actually get towed into a prominent position.

Rushing Fall won the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf from stall 11 when the Breeders’ Cup was last ran at Del Mar in 2017, while Rhododendron (14) almost landed the Filly And Mare Turf despite a slow start, and Beach Patrol (11) went down by only half a length in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. So a double-figure draw can be overcome, especially if you are the best horse in the race.

The Charlie Appleby-trained pair, Modern Games and Albahr, have not achieved as much as the tip but head the betting after rattling up a sequence of wins in the build-up and being drawn in 1 and 2. In theory, they are well-berthed but it’s not that straightforward as they could find themselves doing too much, too soon, or stuck on the rail behind a wall of horses if the opposition shifts across.

Palmer’s Hierarchy is interesting dropping to the minimum trip for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint but preference is for Michael O’Callaghan’s Twilight Jet.

You could be forgiven for thinking this is an afterthought for a colt who has already had ten races this season but he’s thrived on his busy schedule – coasting home in the Cornwallis back over 5f at Newmarket last time after a close fifth (beaten about a length) in the Middle Park Stakes when not quite getting home over 6f.

He’s all speed and his draw in stall one gives him prospects of dominating from the outset. Others are perhaps open to greater improvement but his streetwise nature will count for plenty in what could be a frenetic contest. The general 7-1 is fair and, if he were in a bigger yard, I’m sure he would be much shorter.

The bookmakers are going 7-1 the field for the Juvenile Fillies Turf and I’ll be splitting my stakes on Cairo Memories, a best-priced at 10-1, and Hello You, who is 8-1 in a couple of places.

Cairo Memories impressed when winning over a mile on her debut at Del Mar in September and built in that when easily landing the Listed Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita last time. The manner in which she zipped clear off the home turn in the latter race suggests she’s well up to competing at this higher level for her experienced connections.

Hello You has been her own worst enemy on occasions but the manner in which she won the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket suggests it is all beginning to click for her. If she’s calm and relaxed beforehand, I’ll probably be looking to increase my stake.

9.50pm Del Mar: Twilight Jet $8 win (at a general 7-1)

11.10pm Del Mar: Cairo Memories $10 win (at a best-priced 10-1)

11.10pm Del Mar: Hello You $4 win (at a best-priced 8-1)

00.30am Del Mar: Dubawi Legend $8 win (at a general 5-1)