O'Brien unveils dual Classic raid

Aidan O’Brien is planning to let both Duke Of Marmalade and Henrythenavigator tackle the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday week.

The Ballydoyle handler has already booked top American jockey John Velasquez to ride whichever colt stable jockey Johnny Murtagh rejects in the 10-furlong feature.

Both five-time Group One winner Duke Of Marmalade and dual 2000 Guineas hero Henrythenavigator will be having their first starts on a synthetic surface, while the latter will also be tackling a trip in excess of a mile for the first time.

“Both horses have had long seasons,” O’Brien told the Independent. “But we feel they’re still in good form, and obviously we think they’ll be OK on the surface, though you never know until you try it in race conditions.

“We have booked Johnny Velasquez to ride one of them, but we don’t have to decide which until nearer the time.”

The pair will have to face last year’s Classic victor Curlin in California after connections confirmed him as an intended starter on Tuesday.