Borders jockeys in US to compete in £24m race meeting

The two-day extravaganza, first staged in 1984, takes place at Keeneland in Kentucky tomorrow and Saturday, November 6 and 7, and the 14-race fixture boasts total prize money of £24m.

Both jockeys are based at stables in Malton in North Yorkshire and they travelled together by train to Heathrow on Monday before flying to the US.

Hart rides Safe Voyage for his employer John Quinn in Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Scott is on Ubettabelieveit for his boss Nigel Tinkler in tomorrow’s Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over five furlongs and 110 yards.

Scott, 24, said: “It’s good to have Jason to keep each other company, and fingers crossed our horses will do us proud.

“We’ve both been out on the track riding this morning and it’s amazing.

“Ubettebelieveit has travelled over well and he worked pretty good when I rode him on the turf course earlier on. It’s a sharp track with a tight turn but he’s got good quite a good draw in stall six.

“It’s been quite a year for me already as I rode out my claim and then had a first group win when this horse won the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

“I rode in a big Arab race at San Francisco during my younger days an apprentice, but this experience is something else.”

Scott and Hart will be rubbing shoulders with some of racing’s greats, including Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore, Iraq Ortiz and John R Velazquez, the second most successful jockey in Breeders’ Cup history with 16 wins.