Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Breeders’ Cup Saturday 2025 Best Bets

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews Saturday night’s action at the Breeders’ Cup from Del Mar.

Del Mar, Breeders’ Cup, Saturday

TAMARA can kick us off on Breeders’ Cup night in the Filly and Mare Sprint (7.00). She’s evidently been hard to train, but she’s very talented, and this daughter of triple BC winner Beholder can build on her promising comeback.

MOTORIOUS looks bound to run his race again in the Turf Sprint (7.41). He loves it round here, and managed to post a serious effort from the inside post last year. This should set up for finishers.

BIG CITY LIGHTS is a serious price in the Sprint (8.21). He’s been off a while, and has been winning Cal-bred races, so has been overlooked, but he can run his best fresh and was making up into a very fast horse when we last saw him. A real wildcard.

SARAWAK RIM is another huge priced offering in the Distaff (9.01). With the retirement of Thorpedo Anna, this isn’t a great race and the ex-Argentinian filly is of real interest on her US debut. Her trainer – for whom this is a final runner – took this with Blue Prize, while her work has been good enough to get Irad Ortiz on her back when he had a range of options.

AMILOC is surely the play at the prices in the Turf (9.41). His trainer had proved adept at targeting these races more than once, and this horse has the ability to be involved if he brings his Royal Ascot effort. I’d imagine he’ll sit just off a searching pace set by Silawi, and he’ll be coming hard at Rebel’s Romance and Minnie Hauk late on.

BAEZA is the Classic pick (10.25). If you believe in the three year olds – and mounting evidence supports that – you have to hope that one of them flies the flag in Sovereignty’s absence. And it’s reasonable to say that this horse is open to most improvement, having still looked pretty babyish when he embarked on the Triple Crown trail. He’s had a slightly lighter prep into this than Journalism, which may enable a big effort. Forever Young is feared most.

RHETORICAL might be the one in the Mile(11.05). He’s a daft price in the UK given his achievements to date, which include a romp in the Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland. He was the only horse to sit near a hot pace and still finish off, suggesting he was lengths better than his rivals. He had more to offer for his promising young trainer.

CITIZEN BULL looks lively in the Dirt Mile (11.45). He has a slightly patchy profile, but he loves Del Mar and was really strong in last year’s juvenile. He’s a big, aggressive horse with a bit of swagger, and he looks to be cycling back towards a peak.

DIAMOND RAIN is a shout for the finale (12.25). She ran a screamer in the EP Taylor behind a very good filly, and will surely appreciate the extra furlong. The track might be a bit sharper than ideal, but as long as she gets rolling along near the head of affairs, she could build up a head of steam.