CITY OF TROY’S biggest rival told Sun Columnist Matt Chapman he would challenge Coolmore to a rematch after thrashing them in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday.
In an entertaining interviewm the owner of 10-3 second fav Fierceness, Mike Repole, was bullish when asked if he “really believed” his horse could win.
"After we beat him on dirt, let's find some money for a turf race" 👀
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 1, 2024
Listen to this! Fierceness' owner @RepoleStable tells @MCYeeehaaa that he wants a rematch with City Of Troy after the @BreedersCup Classic… #BC24 @WHR pic.twitter.com/ryWyVw4Xun
There remains a question mark over whether City of Troy will handle the surface given he has only ever raced on turf before, unlike his rival who is well-practised on the dirt.
And Repole reckons this will be the unravelling of the horse who went unbeaten in Derby, the Coral-Eclipse and the Juddmonte.
Repole asked Chapman the rhetorical question: “Is this race on dirt or turf?”
To which Chappers, responding the only way he could, said: “Dirt.”
The feisty American replied: “You got it. There’s your answer.”
Repole continued: “In fact, I actually believe that after we beat him on Saturday on dirt, I’m going to ask Aidan and Coolmore if they want a rematch on Turf.
“Why can’t we have a match race between City of Troy and Fierceness and get a pay to view and get the whole world watching?
“It would garner more money for the sport and more eyes globally than the Kentucky Derby. I would do it 100 per cent.”
Chappers went on to refer to the ‘good-old-days’ of racing when matches between two horses were not uncommon.
The Todd Pletcher-trained Fierceness has so far won three from five of his starts and will, of course, have his work cut out in Saturday’s showpiece.
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He finished at the tail end of the field in the Kentucky Derby but has won a the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers Stakes since, filling his owner with confidence.
And the American entrepreneur and businessman has also taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to ‘send a message’ to City Of Troy in a video.
He said: “City of Troy, I hope you run a great, great race. I hope you take to the dirt where people are questioning, and I wish you the best second-place finish of your life.”
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