Breeders' Cup Mile report: Order Of Australia beats Circus Maximus at Keeneland
Order Of Australia pulled off a huge shock as he led home an Aidan O'Brien-trained 1-2-3 in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland.
The three-year-old was sent off at huge odds having been well beaten in Group Three company at the Curragh last time, but he clearly relished the faster conditions in America, holding off fast-finishing stablemate Circus Maximus by a neck.
Order Of Australia was only running as a late replacement for One Master but for the second time on the night, stand-in jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot worked wonders to manoeuvre his way across from a wide draw and though he was all out in the closing stages, the son of Australia did enough to cling on for by far the biggest win of his career.
Halladay cut out much of the running and there were still plenty in with chances when the runners hit the stretch, most significantly Order Of Australia who swept into the lead with an ultimately race-winning move.
Lope Y Fernandez also finished with a late rattle under Frankie Dettori to fill the placings and complete a Ballydoyle clean sweep, but fellow European raider Kameko flattened out in the straight having looked to be in with a big chance turning in, while Siskin was on the back foot from an early stage and only made modest late headway.
O’Brien said: “We always thought that as the season went on a mile on fast ground on a flat track would be ideal for Order Of Australia.
“He’s a horse that quicken very well and he had been working well.”
Boudot said: “I spoke to Aidan, who was very confident about this horse. He said I should be positive and as he is fast and a proper horse I should ride him from on the pace.
“He travelled very nicely throughout and produced a good turn of foot when I asked him.”
He added: “Christophe gave off a positive test for Covid and my horse got into the race as One Master was a non runner.
“It’s a dream come true for me and I’m thankful to my agent, who must be one of the best in the world.”
Kameko’s rider Oisin Murphy said: “I got him into the perfect position that I wanted going down the back. I thought the track would suit him and that he would travel, but he didn’t pick up.
“While this is disappointing, it doesn’t indicate how good he is. It’s just that he has trained hard all year, he’ll make a wonderful stallion.”
Colin Keane said of Siskin: “He behaved himself down at the stalls, but gave me the impression in the race that the year had caught up with him.”