Stevens pays tribute to Point

Regular jockey Gary Stevens has hailed Point Given as 'the greatest horse I have ever had the pleasure to sit on'.

Stevens partnered Point Given to six Grade One wins including the second and third legs of the American Triple Crown, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

The three-year-old colt has been forced into early retirement after sustaining damage to a near-fore suspensory, which was discovered on Thursday.

'It`s very, very devastating,' Stevens told the Racing Post. 'He`s the greatest horse I have ever had the pleasure to sit on, he was a once in a lifetime horse, the greatest horse we`ve had here for 25 years.

'I don`t think we`d even begun to scratch the surface with him, he was still improving.'

Dual-Derby winner Galileo has been slashed to clear 2-1 favourite from 4-1 to win the Breeders` Cup Classic at Belmont Park by Coral Eurobet following the career-ending injury to Point Given, who had been the 6-4 favourite for the race.

Stevens added: 'It`s verydisappointing that we won`t have the match up with Galileo, it would have been great for international racing.

'It`s a bit like what happened to Dubai Millennium when he was retired. It makes you realise how innocent horses are and how things can change overnight.'

Albert The Great, nicknamed 'The Beast of Belmont' because of his fantastic record at the track, is the main American contender at 4-1 while last year`s winner Tiznow is a 6-1 chance.

Tiznow, who defeated Giant`s Causeway by a neck in the Breeders` Cup Classic, continued his comeback by working well over seven furlongs at Del Mar on Thursday.

Trainer Jay Robbins said that, barring no further mishaps, Tiznow will travel to Belmont in order to contest the Woodward Stakes on Saturday.

Tiznow has won two of his three starts this term, but has not raced since his Santa Anita Handicap success in March due to a combination of a quarter crack problem in his off-fore hoof and a recurring back ailment.

Breeders` Cup Classic Betting: 2-1 Galileo, 4-1 Albert The Great, 6-1 Tiznow, 8-1 Aptitude, 10-1 E Dubai, 12-1 Lido Palace, 16-1 Red Bullet, 20-1 Include, Captain Steve, 25-1 bar.