HALF OF the 26-strong European team for the Breeders' Cup races over the next two days are Irish-trained and Aidan O'Brien will be hoping that Halfway To Heaven can get the visitors off to a perfect start at Santa Anita, writes Brian O'Connor

The initial five Breeders' Cup races run tonight are devoted to fillies and mares including the new Ladies Classic race in which the star American filly, Zenyatta, will be a hot favourite to maintain her unbeaten record.

The influence of the new Pro-Ride synthetic surface instead of old-fashioned dirt on the main track will be tested in that race as well as two others.

David Wachman's Cheveley Park Stakes third Pursuit Of Glory will be on the Pro-Ride in the Juvenile Fillies but the main Irish focus tonight will centre on Halfway To Heaven's attempt at a fourth top-flight victory of the season in the Filly Mare Turf.

Along with Michael Stoute's Visit and the Godolphin hope Folk Opera, she represents a strong overseas challenge and despite 90 degree heat in Los Angeles O'Brien is hopeful Halfway To Heaven can go close. "She's a very tough and consistent filly. She has had three great rides to win those Group Ones. Each time she won you would say the jockey was great on her. But she's tough and she has class," he said.

The last of those came in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket but the evidence of her Nassau defeat of Lush Lashes suggests tonight's 10 furlongs will be no trouble.

O'Brien's other runner is Heart Shaped in the Juvenile Fillies Turf where she will be joined by Tommy Stack's Beyond Our Reach who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

The best of the Irish juveniles, though, is Pursuit Of Glory who returns to an artificial surface after her first taste of grass in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket earlier this month. "We had a very wet summer in Ireland so she had her first two runs on the Polytrack at Dundalk. Of course we also had the Breeders' Cup at the back of our minds," Wachman reported.

"I don't think the extra distance will be a problem. She has run twice around bends and it is easier to get a trip on a turning track."

Godolphin run two of their American-based fillies in the Ladies Classic but beating Zenyatta will be a big ask.

Tonight's home black type action takes place at Dundalk which will host the Nunthorpe Stakes winner Borderlescott and two Dandy Nicholls-trained hopes in the Listed Mercury Stakes.

Borderlescott finished third in the Abbaye over Arc weekend and even though he has to concede 3lb to both Masta Plasta and Peace Offering, he does look up to the task. She's Our Mark is noted in the mile conditions fillies race.