Grand Couturier to win Breeders Cup Turf in style?

Dylan Thomas, Wales's greatest poet was in New York on the last week of his life. He was caught by a husband in bed with that man's wife. Now our Thomas was a heavy drinker and when challenged to a drinking contest by the husband in question, he stood up to the plate and gallantly lost the battle. His namesake, an Aidan O'Brien four-year-old, also looks to be facing up to a brave defeat in New York this weekend and Dylan Thomas should be opposed in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park at 9.50pm this Saturday evening (BST). There's a lot to like about the son of Danehill, a sire who has given the world such animals as Derby winner North Light, Rock of Gibraltar and Breeders' Cup heroine, Banks, Hill. He always shows a good attitude and he was a decent price when winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe earlier this month from Youmzain. That race though, was his eighth this season and considering Youmzain was a 66/1 shot at Longchamp, the form must surely be put into question. O'Brien is attempting to recreate history by making Dylan Thomas the first horse to complete the Arc/Breeders Cup double. Four horse have tried and all lost, three of which finished unplaced. At Longchamp he was driven out to win by a head from Mick Channon's gallant runner-up. He is also a big, long-striding individual who may find the tight turns at Monmouth for the Breeders Cup Turf a real struggle and along with the travelling involved to get Stateside, it must surely put paid to his chances. At evens, I'd rather back the rest of the field at Monmouth than the favourite. So who is going to beat our punch-drunk market leader to the Breeders Cup Turf prize?Fellow raider Red Rocks has a lot going for him on paper having won this race last year from Better Talk Now and English Channel, both of whom line up in Brreders Cup opposition on Saturday. Brian Meehan's four-year-old hasn't the benefit of a weight-for-age concession this year and last year's success had a lot to do with the skill in the saddle of pilot Frankie Dettori, who takes the ride again. Red Rocks has been exclusively trained for the Breeders Cup Turf by Meehan and he should get the scorching pace that he needs to make his late run worthwhile. Such is the short finish at Monmouth though, that he may be doing all his good work too late. The 6/1 that he currently trades at looks no more than fair. English Channel was unlucky last year in that he had a poor draw in stall ten and he sat too close to the murderous early pace - you try and produce a finishing kick having stayed as close as you could to Tyson Gay in a 100m race. He has a better draw this year, is in better form, but at 3/1, he is probably rated correctly. The one that stands out as a value bet though is Grand Couturier. Last year the son of Grand Lodge ran just over two lengths behind subsequent Arc winner Rail Link. He thrashed Saturday's rival English Channel by three lengths at the beginning of August and unlike that opponent, the four-year-old hasn't raced since, leaving him fresh for this contest. At 14/1 on several sites he looks great each-way value. We are slightly in the dark here. There seems every reason under the sun to oppose the admirable Dylan Thomas, but several horses fit the bill. Last year's runner Red Rocks looks fairly priced at 6/1 and should make the place money at least while English Channel looks the most likely winner at 3/1. However, those who want to speculate in the hope of accumulating should consider a small wager on the former French-trained Grand Couturier each/way at 12/1. Verdict: 1pt E/W Grand Couturier @ 12/1 (Blue Sq, Betfred, William Hill)