When London Bridge rallied in deep stretch to land the Breeders' Cup Marathon (G2) at Santa Anita nine years ago, few among the British journalists present had heard of the winning trainer. And that despite the fact Jo Hughes hailed from the renowned horse hamlet of Lambourn, in Berkshire.
Prior to London Bridge's triumph Hughes was best known in Britain for springing a huge upset when Lights of Broadway won a nondescript race over hurdles at odds of 200-1. Her confidence in London Bridge's Marathon prospects was such that she didn't even travel to California. She watched the race from a betting parlor near her home.
For all that, Hughes became the first woman trainer from Britain to win a race at the Breeders' Cup. She remains the only one to date—although that might well change at Keeneland Nov. 4-5.
Jane Chapple-Hyam, a stepdaughter of the late Robert Sangster, has targeted the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) for Internationalangel. The 5-year-old mare has improved by an eye-popping 40lbs since she joined Chapple-Hyam's stable just over one year ago.
Chapple-Hyam, 55, has become increasingly well-received by owners since she opened for business 17 years ago. She trains from Abingdon Place Stables on the fashionable Bury Road, but two less prominent Newmarket residents will join her in the quest to emulate Hughes at Keeneland.
Alice Haynes and Amy Murphy are just starting out on their careers. They are both upwardly mobile, and the prospect of saddling runners at the Breeders' Cup has these two close friends bubbling up with excitement.
Both have eyes on the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T). Haynes, 31, has earmarked Lady Hollywood for the $1 million dash, while Murphy, 30, is taking aim with Manhattan Jungle.
"It's always a competitive race but to go there with a chance is fantastic," said Haynes. "Lady Hollywood will love racing around the turn and I hope the ground comes up quick. She has plenty of speed and I'm very hopeful she'll run well."
Haynes made one previous visit to Keeneland when she traveled with a horse for Ouija Board's trainer, Ed Dunlop, some years ago. "It wasn't for a Breeders' Cup race but I loved the place," she recalled. "The heavens opened one hour before the race and the ground changed completely. I hope that doesn't happen this time."
Very much a hands-on trainer, Haynes radiates ambition. She is making waves in just her second season with a license. Her appetite for every facet of the game is all-consuming. She says one of the hardest things is setting aside downtime at the end of each day.
Lady Hollywood is her best horse to date. The Havana Grey filly, owned by Amo Racing and Omnihorse Racing, booked her Breeders' Cup ticket when flaunting her speed in the Sep. 1 Prix d'Arenberg (G3) over five furlongs, tallying by 1¼ lengths.
"Lady Hollywood loves traveling and is very straightforward to train," Haynes said. "If I had five more like her, it would be simple. I've never been to a Breeders' Cup before. It will be a whole new ball game but I can hardly wait. I'll be going for one week and it will be like a little holiday. It will be a great trip for both Amy (Murphy) and I. We are friendly rivals."
At 24, Murphy was the youngest trainer in Britain when she started out in 2016. She, too, is keenly ambitious. As much became evident when she ran a satellite stable in France for the first six months of 2022 on top of her commitments in Newmarket. Her horses earned close to £200,000 during their French sojourn.
Unlike Haynes, Murphy faces an anxious wait to see whether Manhattan Jungle gains a starting berth in the Juvenile Turf Sprint's 12-runner field. The filly has placed in two group races in France, most recently when tiring on easy ground to finish third in the Prix Eclipse (G3) over six furlongs. The drop in trip and faster ground at Keeneland would greatly abet her cause.
"It is probably on the cusp as to whether she gets into the race," Murphy said of Manhattan Jungle. "We probably won't know until after we get to Keeneland but there is something for her on the undercard if she doesn't make it."
After winning on her debut in April, Manhattan Jungle was bought privately by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; hence the lure of the Breeders' Cup.
The closest contact Murphy has had with the two-day extravaganza is from watching annual renewals on television. "The thought of having a runner is very exciting," she says. "It's the dream of every trainer to have a horse good enough for the Breeders' Cup. It's huge for a stable of our size. We are having our best-ever season. Being there to watch Manhattan Jungle run would be icing on the cake."
And the prospect of emulating Jo Hughes? "I'm all for girl power but it doesn't resonate with me in a professional context," Murphy says. "I don't think about men and women trainers; we are all doing the same job."
Haynes concurs. "It's not like other sports where physical strength is an issue," she says. "You've got to be resilient and mentally tough in this business, which is probably why there aren't more women trainers (in Britain).
"Otherwise, I put myself very much in the same shoes as a man. I just have smaller feet."
