Cornelius Lysaght on a disappointing meeting

The Breeders Cup meeting at Churchill Downs in Kentucky has rarely provided anything for British racing to cheer about.

Out of 100 runners over the 15 meetings, only four British-trained horses have been winners, and the familiar story was repeated on Saturday.

But hopes were high for this year's meeting, which is often regarded as a world championship of racing.

But the best hope, Frankie Dettori on Swain could only come third in the afternoon's highlight, the $5m Breeders Cup Classic.

Dettori could not force the horse to hold its line in the finishing straight and lost out as a consequence.

"He was the best horse in the race," said Sheikh Momammed.

"He came to win his race but he saw the television lights and swerved."

Awesome Again won what is the US's richest single race, with Silver Charm second.

Ex-pat success

Two ex-pat Britons sunk the UK's challenge in the Mile race - one a trainer, the other a horse.

Michael Dickinson, a legendary name among National Hunt trainers, who now plies his trade on the other side of the Atlantic, saddled the winner Da Hoss.

The horse repeated its 1996 success - ahead of Hawksley Hill, which used to grace such racecourses as Catterick and Thirsk when he was in the care of Lynda Ramsden.

The pair were neck and neck in the straight and fought like tigers before the official call held Da Hoss the head winner.

Dettori on Fly To The Stars did best of the British-trained runners, finishing fifth, one place ahead of Ireland's Second Empire.

Cape Cross was ninth, with Among Men 11th and British favourite Desert Prince, coming in last in and 14th.

'Hairy man' criticised

The British challenge for the six-furlong Sprint, in the form of Bolshoi, also met with defeat as Jack Berry's Royal Academy colt could manage only seventh to Reraise.

The Berry runner ridden by Kieren Fallon made a late bid in the race but was unable to finish close to the leaders.

Afterwards Berry had some barbed words for Channel 4 Racing pundit John McCririck, who had criticised the decision of Bolshoi's connections to run in the race.

"That hairy man has been slagging ever since he came in. He has upset everybody," he said.

"So much time and expense goes into it and we stuck with a European jockey and he has given us no credit at all, saying it was a waste of time bringing him.

"But he has run a great race. I am really chuffed the horse ran so well."

Fallon blamed trouble in running for Bolshoi's eclipse.

"He didn't get a run at all," was his post-race assessment. "If he had had a run he would have been bang there."

And there was no end to the British misery in the Turf race.

Henry Cecil's Royal Anthem was seventh, Insatiable 10th, and Leggera 12th.

Only Irishman Sunshine Street can hold his head up on the plane home, running a solid fifth.