European trainers enjoyed their finest outing in the history of the Breeders’ Cup yesterday as several horses trained in the United Kingdom achieved wins in the world’s richest thoroughbred racing series.

Three of the event’s biggest races went to European entries, with French raider Goldikova scoring the first upset of the day when she defeated a strong field to win the Breeders Cup Mile.

John Gosden also had a slice of the action early in the day when Donativum helped jockey Frankie Dettori to his seventh career Breeders Cup race win in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.

An hour later it was Sir Michael Stoute’s turn to win big at the Breeders Cup, as his St Leger winner, Conduit, produced one of the runs of the festival, coming from behind to win the $3 million Breeders Cup Turf.

Commentators singled out the synthetic track at Santa Anita as the  biggest factor contributing to European success in the Breeders Cup this year.

With European horses accustomed to heavy tracks, the springy surface of the Santa Anita turf is believed to have played directly into the hands of European trainers and their entries.