Cecil Raring To Go

Henry Cecil had a spring in his step on his arrival at a damp and dreary Monmouth Park, the Warren Place trainer welcoming the inch of rain which fell overnight to make underfoot conditions ideal for Passage Of Time in the Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf.

The ever-popular Cecil is saddling a fourth Breeders' Cup runner following Indian Skimmer, Eltish and Royal Anthem, and gave the assembled group of reporters the impression Passage Of Time could be his best chance yet of victory.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned filly, third to Mrs Lindsay in the Prix Vermeille on her latest outing, is giving him all the right signals.

Questioned about the rain, Cecil said: 'She likes give in the ground and doesn't like it firm, so you can read into that answer what you will.

'Actually I was praying for a bit of give. Shane said she enjoyed herself and the ground is safe. He's a very experienced rider and rode Motivator in all his work.'

Cecil thinks the evidence of the formbook points to a big run from his filly.

Recalling that she was favourite for the Oaks, he went on: 'Last year she beat Soldier Of Fortune at Saint-Cloud, won the Oaks trial on her reappearance at York in May and then had that problem with an abscess on her epiglottis.

'Everything seemed fine in her work up to the Oaks but in the race it tightened up and she couldn't breath.

'Afterwards she fell away to nothing and was all skin and bone, and I think she just got a bit tired in the Vermeille.

'Since then she's been on schedule for the States and has definitely come on a lot for her race. She's had a long preparation, I'm happy with her and she deserves to be here.

'Even up to a fortnight ago it could have been the Champion Stakes, but the Prince said as we'd earmarked her for the Breeders' Cup we should go there.'

(C) PA Sport