This Breeders' Cup, the 34th in the series, is very unique because of the setting. Del Mar, where the surf meets the turf, is a great location.

It's a racetrack situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, on the outskirts of San Diego, California, and people love coming here.

The 13 championship races are going to be as competitive as ever, and discussions on who is going to win have been going on for months. It's a fantastic two days of racing.

Arrogate, the Dubai World Cup winner at Meydan in March, is the biggest talking point. How he performs is going to be the big question. His last two runs, both at Del Mar, have been below par.

He's going to have to reach deep to pull this one off.

The main track (dirt) this summer was very different to anything we'd run on before at Del Mar.

It was extremely deep and extremely testing. Some horses really didn't take to it, and Arrogate was one of them.

If it's like that again at this meeting, then it's going to be a real test of stamina.

What type of horse do you need to win? You need one, who can be cruising for as long as possible, because once they come off the bridle and you start throwing the reins at them, few will be able to pick up again.

It may be tighter (faster), we'll have to see. They will either love it or hate it. There will be no middle ground.

The turf track, by European standards, is very tight. Speed is always key in America, and it certainly is at Del Mar.

The home straight, three-sixteenths of a mile long (furlong and a half / 300m), is one of the shortest in the country.

It always pays to be in the vanguard (front division) and if you have a late-closing horse, you're at a disadvantage.

Del Mar is very much an exotic location for the Breeders' Cup, one that sits alongside Lone Star, Keeneland, Gulfstream, and Woodbine.

If you are a racing enthusiast, just come here and enjoy it.

Eoin Harty comes from a long line of Irish horsemen and trainers. He first worked in American racing 35 years ago. He has tasted success at the Breeders' Cup and has been training horses for Godolphin since 2000.