Today on Sky Sports Racing: Sierra Leone and Fierceness headline stellar Breeders' Cup Classic field

It's Breeders' Cup Saturday! Sierra Leone looks to defend his Classic crown at 10.25pm, with Fierceness and Forever Young waiting in the wings to take it from him.

10.25 - Sierra Leone and Fierceness headline stellar field

Despite the absence of Sovereignty, this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic is a belter with defending champion Sierra Leone among a field of nine.

Chad Brown's stable star has had a mixed campaign but showed his class when running down Highland Falls to land the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga in August. He should get the strong pace he desires and has solid claims granted a clear passage.

Fierceness will be fancied by many to go one better than when second last year. He saw off the reopposing Journalism at the track last time and rates an obvious player.

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Journalism was given plenty to do on that occasion and may get closer under new jockey Jose Ortiz, while Japanese raider Forever Young is an each-way contender if able to repeat the pick of his form, when seeing off Romantic Warrior in this year's Saudi Cup.

Mindframe and Baeza both hold claims, with the former being hampered and unseating Irad Ortiz last time out - when arriving off the back of three straight successes - at Saratoga.

9.41 - Dual winner Rebel's Romance faces Minnie Hauk

A spectacular clash between star filly Minnie Hauk and veteran Rebel's Romance in this Breeders' Cup Turf.

Aidan O'Brien has taken this crown on seven occasions and Minnie Hauk looks the ideal candidate under Christophe Soumillon. A quadruple Oaks winner, she further enhanced her profile when second in the Arc and may prove hard to beat, especially with a reasonable draw in stall eight.

Charlie Appleby's Rebel's Romance is a global superstar with nine top-level wins to his name across numerous countries. He is a dual winner of this race and will take some pegging back if allowed to dominate from stall 1 under the mercurial William Buick.

Others to note include the unexposed Amiloc and the Francis-Henri Graffrad-trained Goliath, who failed to kick on from King George glory in 2024 but remains a talented individual.

11.05 - Notable Speech and Sahlan lock horns

This is a fiercely competitive Breeders' Cup Mile where Notable Speech will bid to go two better than last year.

Notable Speech warmed up for this with a facile success in the Woodbine Mile and his trainer seeks a fourth win in the last five years. This will be much tougher, but he warrants plenty of respect having performed with credit in Europe all year, most notably in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

Francis-Henri Graffard's Sahlan was last seen claiming a first Group 1 success in the Prix du Moulin and must be feared if breaking on terms for the Arc-winning partnership of Graffard and Barzalona.

Of the others, Rhetorical is the pick of the home team, while The Lion In Winter is another for the shortlist, having finished second behind shock winner Cicero's Gift in the QEII the last day.

Best of the rest

On the undercard, the 7.00pm PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint will likely see Sweet Azteca line up as favourite after back-to-back wins for Richard Baltas, including in Grade 3 company at this venue when last seen. This is a huge step up in class but don't be surprised if this five-year-old puts her experience to the best use under Juan Hernandez.

With Arizona Blaze a non-runner, the onus will be on Motorious to continue his upward trajectory in the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at 7.41pm. Ag Bullet could also go well under Johnny Velazquez, whilst a European audience will be familiar with Shisospicy, who underwhelmed in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot but is a serious operator on home soil.

At 8.21pm, Imagination and Bentornato will go head-to-head for the Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint. Dan Blacker saddled Straight No Chaser to victory in this race last term and the six-year-old will return in defence of his title tonight.

The Mark Casse-trained Nitrogen looks well-placed for honours in the 9.01pm Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff despite being handed stall one but will be wary of the four-timer seeking Seismic Beauty who has shown all the signs of being a truly top horse this term.

A Breeders' Cup Classic winner in 2023, White Abarrio is back at the World Championships to take aim at the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Nysos is the current market leader and one of three Bob Baffert runners going to post for this.

See The Fire will have to overcome a difficult post in 14 to strike gold in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at 12.25pm. Cinderella's Dream and Gezora look the key players here, with the latter looking to bounce back from a disappointing showing in the Arc.