City Of Troy is set for a racecourse gallop at Southwell on September 20 as part of his preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Derby and Eclipse winner showcased his dominance at York last week, setting a new course record in the Juddmonte International. Trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by Coolmore, the son of American Triple Crown winner Justify is a prime candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
To simulate race conditions, City Of Troy will work out at Southwell, using American-style starting stalls and accompanied by stablemates for a public workout.
Chris Armstrong, representing O’Brien, confirmed: "City Of Troy will head to Southwell on September 20 for a racecourse gallop. We’re pleased Southwell could accommodate our request, and it fits well into his schedule. He’ll work with a group of horses over about a mile, with American stalls and the bell ringing. This will give him a good tune-up before the Breeders’ Cup Classic, allowing him five weeks between York and his departure. Southwell has been used by O’Brien before for Breeders’ Cup preparations, such as Giant’s Causeway and Galileo. Although the details are still being finalised, Southwell is ready to welcome racing fans and media to watch. It will be a new experience for City Of Troy on a Tapeta surface, and everything is aligning perfectly for his schedule."
City Of Troy has only raced on turf so far, making Southwell’s Tapeta surface a new challenge for him.