Speech set for Notable Breeders’ Cup double

The two-day Breeders' Cup extravaganza in Lexington, Kentucky starts on Friday evening with a card for the juveniles. On Saturday night, the older champions will be crowned in several races.

Notable Speech is favored to win the Grade One Breeders' Cup Mile, which begins at 8:20pm. The horse, trained by Charlie Appleby, won the race last year and has an excellent record when sent over to North America. He has three wins and one place from five trips, including last time he won the Grade One Woodbine Mile in Canada. Notable Speech has also raced at Keeneland before and is expected to perform well in the quick ground at the Kentucky track.

Facteur Cheval, a seven-year-old French-trained horse, is another contender in the Mile race. He won his first start for his new Canadian trainer Mark Casse over an extended mile at Keeneland. US-style racing could suit him, and he looks like a strong contender at 50/1 with William Hill.

Bacio and Comanche Brave will face off in the Grade One Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which starts at 5:48pm. Bacio, who won at Royal Ascot, is the favorite, but Comanche Brave has been impressive this season and will be looking to prove himself against Bacio in his own backyard. Bacio's price may seem short, but ante-post betting is all about value, and he could be odds-on by Saturday.

Blue Bolt is favored to win the Grade One Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which starts at 7:04pm. However, Jancis could be ideally suited to the one-mile-one-and-a-half-furlong trip. She won the Grade One E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine last time but faded in the final half-furlong. Jancis looked good in that race and steps back a half-furlong in trip here, making her a potential surprise winner at 20/1.

Finally, Benvenuto Cellini, trained by Ryan Moore, is a value each-way play in the Breeders' Cup Turf, which starts at 9:36pm. He is more than three times the price of his stablemate Diamond Necklace and could be worth the risk.