It is looking increasingly likely that dual 2000 Guineas winner Churchill will run in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Saturday week, November 4th.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained dual Guineas winner has not tasted victory since following up his Newmarket classic win at the Curragh, and he finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to Persuasive at Ascot last Saturday after meeting trouble in running.

"There is a big chance Churchill will go for the Classic. He seems to have come out of Ascot very well," said O'Brien. "He jumped smart in that (QEII) and Ryan (Moore) got him into a lovely rhythm. He just got tightened a little bit going into the two when he started to build into his rhythm.

"Ryan felt he never got into top gear, but he went to the line very strong. He seems to have come out the race well and we look forward to what is going to happen. He is very like Giant's Causeway. He is a miler that you would like to think will get a mile and a quarter. He is big and powerful, like those dirt horses."

Churchill may be joined in the Classic by War Decree, last seen winning a Group 3 at Dundalk.

"Ryan rode War Decree in the French Derby and really liked him. We gave him a good break in the middle of the summer and just had the run at Dundalk," said O'Brien.

"Donnacha (O'Brien) rode him and really liked him, he travelled well and won very easily. It would be his first start on dirt, but that would be interesting. This is a massive step up from that, but he seems to have come out of that well."

Gun Runner is the general 7/4 favourite for the Classic, ahead of last year's winner Arrogate (2/1). West Coast and Collected are both available at approximately 6/1 and then Churchill is next in the betting at around 12/1.

Highland Reel won the Turf last year and looks like a major player once more after a good run in the Champion Stakes.

"We just felt Highland Reel needed the run last week as it had been a long time since he ran. He has come out of the race well. Ryan was over the moon with him in the race and he kept him out (wide) as long as he could. He loves that nice ground he should get," said O'Brien.

Rhododendron and Roly Poly have a choice of engagements, and O'Brien also looks set to be well represented in the two-year-old races in America.

"Happily had a little bit of a blip before her last run (Fillies' Mile), but she seems to be fine now. After a few days she was fine and all her bloods seem to be fine now. We were delighted with her on Arc day," said the Ballydoyle handler.

"September had a nice run in the Fillies' Mile. She ran a very good race, but she didn't get a clear run. She is by Deep Impact and I think they handle quicker ground. She had a few lesser runs in between, but her last run was she was coming back after a little break and the ground was a little slower as well.

"Mendelssohn and U S Navy Flag are in both races (Juvenile Turf and Juvenile). U S Navy Flag would have the option of either and he could go on to the dirt. Mendelssohn would not have the experience of him and would probably go on the grass, but I am not sure which way yet."

PRESCOTT WORRIED

Sir Mark Prescott fears Marsha will struggle to confirm her superiority over Lady Aurelia and give him a winner with his first ever runner at the Breeders' Cup.

The long-serving Newmarket handler will break new ground when the four-year-old renews her rivalry with Wesley Ward's dual Group 1 winner in the Turf Sprint.

Although the four-year-old proved no match for Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, the daughter of Acclamation turned the tables with a narrow victory in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

But d espite the Elite Racing Club-owned filly, who completed her preparations for the Grade 1 with a spin around Chelmsford City on Wednesday, gaining the upper hand last time out, Prescott believes the tight nature of the California track is not in her favour.

He said: "I've been to America, but only to the sales, so it will be a completely new experience. I've sent horses over there, but I've always managed to avoid going myself.

"We've been to Chelmsford to go around a left-hand bend. She went OK, but she didn't go around there like a greyhound.

"She was going so quick when she got to the turn. I would have liked her to have gone around tighter. It wasn't by any means bad, but it is not going to be to her advantage.

"It is her last race and the Americans were unbelievably kind and generous in getting her to go over.

"She goes to the sales at the end of November. We have really got nothing to lose and everything to gain. They felt they wanted her to be there to make the race more interesting."

He added: "She has been great and has got better and better as she has gone.

"She has experience of going left-handed. She has won at Catterick and at Dundalk, but they were when she wasn't going nearly as fast. Now she goes quicker I'm not sure how she will go around the turn.

"The fast pace and fast ground she will love. Lady Aurelia will just whizz around those turns in her own back yard. I can't imagine from everyone's description of Del Mar that there will be enough time for Marsha to make up the ground.

"At York everything was in her favour and poor Battaash got in a right stew and Mr (Charlie) Hills rectified that next time and we were probably lucky to get up on the line at York. I am not really expecting that much luck this time."

The pre-entries for all Breeders' Cup races were released on Wednesday. The final fields and post positions will be announced next Monday.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd

JUVENILE FILLIES' TURF: Best Performance, Capla Temptress, Dixie Moon, Fatale Bere, Happily, Juliet Capulet, Madeline, Moon Dash, Now You're Talking, Orbolution, Rushing Fall, September, Significant Form, Ultima D

DIRT MILE: Accelerate, Awesome Slew, Battle of Midway, Cupid, Giant Expectations, Imperative, Iron Fist, Lancaster Bomber, Midnight Storm, Mind Your Biscuits, Mor Spirit, Practical Joke, Sharp Azteca, War Decree

JUVENILE TURF: Beckford, Catholic Boy, Encumbered, Flameawa, Hemp Hemp Hurray, James Garfield, Masar, Mendelssohn, Nelson, Rajasinghe, Sands Of Mali, U S Navy Flag, Untamed Domain, Voting Control

DISTAFF: Abel Tasman, Champagne Room, Elate, Forever Unbridled, It Tiz Well, Mopotism, Paradise Woods, Romantic Vision, Stellar Wind

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th

JUVENILE FILLIES: Alluring Star, Blonde Bomber, Caledonia Road, Gio Game, Tell Your Mama, Heavenly Love, Maya Malibu, Moonshine Memories, Pide Bianchi, Princess Warrior, Separationofpowers, Stainless, Wonder Gadot

TURF SPRINT: Bucchero, Cotai Glory, Disco Partner, Hogy, Holding Gold, Lady Aurelia, Marsha, Mongolian Saturday, Pure Sensation, Richard's Boy, Stormy Liberal, Washington DC

FILLY & MARE SPRINT: Ami's Mesa, Bar Of Gold, By The Moon, Carina Mia, Constellation, Curlin's Approval, Finest City, Finley'sluckycharm, Highway Star, Paulassilverlining, Princess Karen, Proper Discretion, Skye Diamonds, Unique Bella

FILLY & MARE TURF: Avenge, Birdie Gold, Cambodia, Dacita, Grand Jete, Lady Eli, Nezwaah, Queen's Trust, Rhododendron, Roly Poly, Senga, War Flag, Wuheida, Zipessa

SPRINT: American Pastime, B Squared, Calculator, Drefong, Imperial Hint, Mind Your Biscuits, Practical Joke, Ransom The Moon, Roy H, Takaful, Whitmore

MILE: Bal A Bali, Ballagh Rocks, Big Score, Blackjackcat, Churchill, Decorated Knight, Heart To Heart, Lancaster Bomber, Ribchester, Roly Poly, Senga, Suedois, World Approval, Zelzal

JUVENILE: Bahamian, Bolt d'Oro, Firenze Fire, Free Drop Billy, Givemeamint, Golden Dragon, Good Magic, Hazit, Hollywood Star, Mendselssohn, Solomini, The Tabulator, U S Navy Flag

TURF: Beach Patrol, Bigger Picture, Bullards Alley, Cliffs Of Moher, Decorated Knight, Fanciful Angel, Highland Reel, Hunt, Itsinthepost, Nezwaah, Oscar Performance, Sadler's Joy, Talismanic, Ulysses

CLASSIC: Arrogate, Churchill, Collected, Cupid, Diversify, Gun Runner, Gunnevera, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, Pavel, War Decree, War Story, West Coast, Win The Space