RACING: Opinions over the effect of the draw were polarised yesterday as Rock Of Gibraltar was handed stall 10 for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile at Arlington.
Connections of 'The Rock' were hoping for a slot in the middle of the 14-strong field but were left mildly disappointed with the end result after giving the colt the green light for the $1 million event instead of the Classic.
However, stablemate Landseer got it even worse when stuck out on the outside in stall 13 and looks to face a stiff task despite the booking of top native rider Edgar Prado.
Official morning line odds-compiler Mike Battaglia admitted that he had found it difficult to reach the right price for Rock Of Gibraltar, but eventually settled at even-money.
"I was going to put him in at 7 to 5 but when you watch the videos of the way he won his last two races it's just amazing so he is even-money," he told the press conference where the stall positions were drawn out.
At home, bookmakers William Hill argued that Rock Of Gibraltar had been blessed with a favourable draw and sliced the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt's price for the Mile from 6 to 4 to evens. Ladbrokes agreed and trimmed his price to 5 to 4 from 6 to 4. However, O'Brien himself was reportedly less than enamoured. "I have spoken to Aidan and he seemed to think it wasn't that good, especially for Landseer," said Mike Dillon, racing manager to the colt's part-owner Alex Ferguson.
"It looks like they will need to go a good gallop for Rock Of Gibraltar from that position and he will also need some luck in running.
"But the vet, John Halley, who travelled out with Aidan's horses says that they have all setted in well and it's all systems go.
"They will be running on medication - Aidan believes that it's a case of 'When in Rome . . .'
Dermot Weld's Dress To Thrill, the third Irish-trained contender in the race, also ended up on the outside in stall 12. But Atto Mile winner Good Journey was handed a tasty-looking spot in stall four.
The effect of the draw is of such great significance that Luca Cumani admitted yesterday that it had influenced his decision to miss the race with Gossamer. There is a sharp bend to the left little more than 100 yards after the start of the Mile and Cumani said yesterday: "If we had gone for the Mile and got a bad draw on the outside then we might as well not have turned up. We will be going for the Filly & Mare Turf."
Islington's rider Kieren Fallon, who also takes the mount on Golan in the Turf, has come in for a third mount on the night on Hold The Tiger, one of three O'Brien hopefuls in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Fallon was in the plate when Hold The Tiger finished with a flourish to win the Grand Criterium at Longchamp on Arc de Triomphe day and the combination have a good-looking draw in stall three. Kinane rides Tomahawk (drawn 11) while Van Nistelrooy (stall seven) has the services of Jon Velazquez.
The Tote offer 5 to 2 that O'Brien will train the winner of the race but for pessimists there is another offer of 15 to 8 about him drawing a blank on the whole card.
Meanwhile, Dermot Weld's Media Puzzle, a possible contender for the Melbourne Cup, was an easy winner of the Group Three Geelong Cup in Australia yesterday. "It was a very good performance," said Weld's son, Mark.
