Leighs planning for Breeders' bonanza

Officials at Great Leighs are hoping to replicate as much as possible the Breeders’ Cup experience at their trials’ night on Saturday week.

None other than the mighty Duke Of Marmalade could make the trip to the Essex venue in preparation for the Classic at Santa Anita next month, where the Breeders’ Cup meeting will be staged on a synthetic surface for the first time.

Tim Jones of Great Leighs explained that an application has been made for an American-style bell to be used in the starting stalls.

He told At The Races: “We have asked the British Horseracing Authority if we can have a bell in the stalls to replicate the American experience as much as we can really.

“We’ve asked Racetech to look into it and to get it to sound as much like the Santa Anita bell as possible.

“Naturally the BHA have to speak to all the relevant bodies and hopefully we will get the go-ahead to do it. The sooner we know the sooner we can get everything in place.”