The Breeders' Cup is notorious for showcasing some of the world's greatest horses, where the Europeans take on the Americans in their own backyard. A fixture which usually springs up some surprise winners, and this weekend was no exception. Del Mar played host to this year's spectacle which featured rides from some of this season's flat standout runners such as Highland Reel, Lady Aurelia, Ribchester, Arrogate and Churchill. However, none of these star performers were to claim victory as some surprise winners were to reap the rewards of the prize money which topped £2,682,926. Del Mar is a very unique racecourse in its own right. Labelled the racecourse (or racetrack if you’re from across the pond) where the turf meets the surf, this stunning track in San Diego has a capacity of 44,00 spectators and is the second largest racing track in the western United States. An incredible drop which overlooks the ocean is a key feature of the racecourse. If you looked closely enough you could see Frankie Dettori swimming in the sea trying to shed them extra few pounds in between the second and third race. Some standout performances came from the 7:37 & 8:14 where 40/1 shot Stormy Liberal and 66/1 shot Bar Of Gold won their respective races. However, perhaps the highlight of the show was the reaction of trainer Peter Miller when Stormy Liberal stole the headlines to clinch first place and £447,154 in prize money, beating Lady Aurelia in the process of doing so. However, unlike Peter Miller our viewpoint of this annual event wasn’t from the luxury of the Californian sunshine, rather from the glamour of Alberts private members club in South Kensington. The Breeders' Cup coincided with an Albatross Club annual dinner and as such saw Alberts transform into a makeshift racecourse, with its very own bookmaker and temporary TV screens showcasing the event.
Although a private event, Alberts opened its doors to the public after the dinner. This sparked dazzled members to walk into an unexpected scene of a bookmaker and TV screens showing the event. A few drinks later and the whole club seemed to have a bet on for the last race. Not your average Saturday night for most, but one that I’m sure was a nice change for all. With Racing Breaks you can experience this fantastic spectacle next year as the Breeders’ Cup switches venues to the world famous Churchill Downs, Kentucky. This racecourse is most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby, and will next year be host to two of the world's most famous races. Certainly one to tick off the bucket list.