FOR the third time in a row, and the eighth time since the event began 30 years ago, the Breeders’ Cup takes place at Santa Anita in Los Angeles this weekend.

Broadcast live on At The Races, the action starts at 7.05pm and ends with the $5 million Classic due off at 12.35am.

European interest is a little lower than usual this year. Aidan O’Brien’s Magician, a memorable winner of the Turf here last year, had to be ruled out during the week, leaving Ballydoyle with just two runners this evening - The Great War in the Juvenile and Chicquita in the Turf.

Dermot Weld looks to have a live chance in the Mile with Mustajeeb and the Willie McCreery-trained Fiesolana would be a fairytale winner of the Filly & Mare Turf.

However, it could be left to Sir Michael Stoute to save Europe’s blushes tonight - his pair of Dank and Telescope hold favourites’ chances in their respective races.

If you can stay awake long enough, the Classic can probably be relied upon to throw up a good story. The favourite Shared Belief is unbeaten and could be America’s Horse of the Year while a win for Toast Of New York for ‘the two Jamies’ would go a long way to restoring European faith in an event which has been trading on its reputation for a few years now.

7:05 14 Hands Winery Breeders´ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) $2 million (2yo Fillies) 1m110y Dirt

Todd Pletcher’s Angela Renee is a warm favourite after her Grade 1 win in the Chandelier Stakes. She beat today’s rivals Conquest Eclipse, Danette, Majestic Presence on that occasion and has easily the best form. She was previously third six lengths behind By The Moon (second), to Condo Commando in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga but that was in very sloppy conditions.

Tipperary-born Michelle Nevin runs Grade 1 Frizette winner By The Moon, a two and a quarter length winner of that Belmont contest, again in the slop, from today’s rivals Wonder Gal and Feathered.

Al Stall’s Top Decile could be value with Rosie Napravnik on board after her second in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland behind Olly Stevens’ Peace And War. (AMD)

Selection: ANGELA RENEE

Next Best: Top Decile

7:43 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) $2 million (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) 1m2f Turf

Best of luck to Billy Lee, Willie McCreery and Fiesolana in this one. The odds are stacked against the Niarchos family-owned mare. The 10-furlong trip is unknown territory for her at this level and Lee, with no experience of the track, is expected to try and weave his way through in the short home straight.

Last year’s impressive winner Dank is back for more and while it is tempting to oppose her on the basis that she arguably hasn’t shown the same brilliance this season, what is going to beat her? Sir Michael Stoute’s mare was chased home by EIGHT previous Grade 1 winners in this event last year. There is nothing like that depth of quality in tonight’s race. Would connections bother sending her if she wasn’t in top form? She can make it three wins from three starts stateside.

Last year’s Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge comes into this just two weeks after her E.P. Taylor success up at Woodbine. This might come a bit soon for her while the distance is probably on the sharp side for the same owner’s Secret Gesture. The home team don’t seem to fancy their chances in this heat but Stephanie’s Kitten looks the clear best of that bunch and will be hard to keep out of the frame. (MC)

Selection: DANK

Next best: Stephanie’s Kitten

8:21 Draftkings Breeders´ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1) $ 1 million (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) 7f Dirt

Artemis Agrotera went straight into the notebook for this race when she passed the post over six lengths in front in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in August. On her only subsequent start, at Belmont in September, she missed the break but still got it done. Drawn well and said to be looking very well at Santa Anita this week, the three-year-old Roman Ruler filly is confidently expected to maintain her unbeaten run (2 for 2) at seven furlongs.

Stonetastic is earning rave reviews from the Californian clockers this week and is expected to try and make every yard. This 10/1 chance is a good each-way bet. The Wesley Ward-trained Judy The Beauty lost out by half a length to Groupie Doll in this race last year and comes into the race in good form. Two with questions to answer are Sweet Reason, fourth in the Juvenile Fillies’ last season, and the Canadian challenger Leigh Court. Both fillies had training issues coming into the race. (MC)

Selection: ARTEMIS AGROTERA

Next best: Stonetastic

9:05 Breeders´ Cup Turf Sprint $1 million (Grade 1) (3yo+) (Turf) 6f110y Turf

Isn’t it odd that all of Europe can only muster one runner in this race, a contest in which they should have a considerable advantage? Caspar Netscher carries the flag for this part of the world but, while the failed stallion has to be given credit for his battling Woodbine win, that was a poor race and the downhill Santa Anita turf course is a completely different test.

European racefans will be familiar with Wesley Ward’s two runners - No Nay Never and Undrafted. Winner of the Norfolk Stakes and Prix Morny last season, No Nay Never was a very ‘mature’ juvenile and he has shown nothing like that form in either of his 2014 starts. Undrafted’s fourth place finish in the July Cup (on unsuitably soft ground) was an outstanding piece of form but there’s little else in his record to suggest he is about to win his first Grade 1 on his 17th start.

There will also be plenty of Irish voices shouting on Dimension, trained by Corkman Conor Murphy. Fifth in this last year, he won a minor race at Keeneland last time out but, even with Ryan Moore on board, will surely come up short again.

There could be no more deserving winner than Reneesgotzip - third and second in the last two runnings behind the now-retired Mizdirection. West coast sprinters have dominated this race and Reneesgotzip can continue that trend. Last year’s runner-up Tightend Touchdown should again be thereabouts. (MC)

Selection: RENEESGOTZIP

Next best: Tightend Touchdown

9:43 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) $2 million (2yo Colts & Geldings) 1m110y Dirt

Todd Pletcher holds the key with two unbeaten juveniles who both won impressively on the east coast on October 4th. Carpe Diem, a son of Giant’s Causeway, is unbeaten in two and comes off a strong win in the mile and half a furlong Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. He drew stall 9 for John Velazquez. Pletcher also will saddle Daredevil (More Than Ready), who is two-for-two including a win from Upstart in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. The chesnut colt drew stall 12 and has shown good early foot in his two starts for Javier Castellano.

The race was last won by a European with Vale Of York in 2009. Aidan O’Brien fields the only European in The Great War, a son of War Front who showed his best form when winning the Listed Blenheim Stakes over six furlongs last time from seven runs this season. He is well drawn in four and should adapt to the dirt, (out of a Pulpit mare). With Ryan Moore on the crest of a wave he could outrun his price. (AMD)

Selection: DAREDEVIL

Next Best: The Great War

11:40 Breeders’ Cup Mile (Grade 1) $2 million (3yo+) 1m Turf

With Wise Dan on the sidelines, the Americans don’t expect to keep this at home. Toronado is seen as the best European challenger and is rated the best bet of the meeting by many. But 9/4 is a short price about a horse whose trainer has yet to prove he has mastered the art of sending horses across the Atlantic.

Dermot Weld has few equals in preparing horses for USA targets and Mustajeeb has to be respected. The Jersey Stakes winner was given a long midsummer break and his September reappearance (second to Bow Creek at Leopardstown) was encouraging. Connections are making the right noises this week and a big run is expected.

A case can also be made for all three of the French runners. Veda needs to settle better than in her last two starts and has never raced outside France, and the same remark applies to Karakontie, who is drawn badly. Anodin represents Goldikova’s trainer Freddy Head but this colt looks held by Toronado.

With very few frontrunners in the line-up, the American three-year-old Tourist looks interesting. The son of Tiznow was sent off second favourite for the 10-furlong Secretariat Stakes in August and held a clear lead until collared by international star Adelaide in the closing stages. Rested since, Tourist comes here fresh and Rosie Napravnik’s mount might just get things easy in front. At 20/1 with some European books, he’s an attractive bet. The track is not ideal for Trade Storm (needs a longer straight) and the Irish-bred Obviously (fifth and third in previous runnings) doesn’t appear to be in the same form this season. (MC)

Selection: TOURIST

Next best: Mustajeeb

10:22 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (Grade 1) $3 million (3yo+) 1m4f Turf

Flintshire, Telescope, Brown Panther and Chicquita make up a strong European challenge against leading US contenders Main Sequence and Hardest Core. The Europeans have won seven of the last 10 runnings and on suitable ground Flintshire looks to have a tremendous chance on the form of his Arc second to Treve, though the track will be tight enough for a big colt. Telescope has been trained for this race since his third over a mile and two at York behind Australia and The Grey Gatsby. His King George second to Taghrooda is top form and Ryan Moore is on a roll. It would be Sir Michael Stoute’s fifth Turf win and Moore’s fourth. After pouncing late last year on Magician, Moore may have to move earlier this time.

Brown Panther had a wasted trip to Canada after he bolted before the start at Woodbine. The distance may be a little short for the Irish St Leger winner on faster ground than he would like. Chicquita seemed to be coming back to form when she hung left in the final furlong of the Filly and Mare race on British Champions Day. This is much stronger company. Main Sequence is on a run of three Grade 1 wins with repeat victories over Imagining and Twilight Eclipse. Hardest Core won the Arlington Million but might be hard pressed to repeat that performance. (AMD)

Selection: TELESCOPE

Next Best: Main Sequence

11:01 Xpressbet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) (3yo+) (Dirt) 6f

Secret Circle will try to become the second horse following the same connections’ Midnight Lure to win back-to-back runnings of the Sprint. Hong Kong has its first Breeders’ Cup runner in Rich Tapestry, winner of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship in his first US start. The six-year-old Irish-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor defeated last year’s Dirt Mile winner Goldencents and Secret Circle in that race after arriving in California just a few days earlier from Hong Kong. He will be ridden by Olivier Doleuze from stall six.

Palace comes from the east coast with wins in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga Race and the True North Stakes at Belmont Park. He was somewhat disappointing last time in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont behind fellow contender Private Zone and may find this a hotter pace than what he had to contend with on the east coast tracks.

The lightly-raced Fast Anna, trained by Kathy Rivto, who won last year’s Classic with Mucho Macho Man, could be an interesting outsider, as a son of 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming Of Anna. The American-bred Wind Fire represents David Brown and Qatar with Jamie Spencer on board.

Selection: SECRET CIRCLE

Next Best: Palace

12:35 Breeders´ Cup Classic (Grade 1) $5 million (3yo+) 1m2f Dirt

There may not be any star performer in the US this year but this is a fascinating race, dominated by the three-year-olds. Is the unbeaten Shared Belief the real deal, set to become Horse of the Year despite missing the classics? Can California Chrome come back to the horse that went chasing the Triple Crown in June?

Will the Jamies Osborne and Spencer be the Toast of Santa Anita? Will Moreno and Bayern cut each other’s throat and set it up for a finisher like Tonalist? Or would a fast track see one of them go all the way?

Shared Belief gained much praise for his win in the Awesome Again Stakes when forced wide but it was a weak field. Previously he beat Toast Of New York easily at Del Mar.

However, he has yet to meet a top class rival and his form with Candy Boy doesn’t give him much in hand of a top form California Chrome. At 6/4 he is a short enough price on what he has actually achieved.

California Chrome’s connections have expressed themselves pleased with the way the Kentucky Derby winner is training. His early season form is probably the best on offer, including his Santa Anita Derby win here. If he can slot into third or fourth from his outside stall, the race could set up well for him though he has to improve on that seven-length deficit behind Bayern at Parx last time.

Tonalist’s best form is at Belmont and he will find this a different test. His chances depend on the early pace. Of the older horses, the Bill Mott-trained Cigar Street might be a lively outsider. (AMD)

Selection: CALIFORNIA CHROME

Next Best: Shared Belief