NEWS AND PREVIEWS:BUSHRANGER WILL attempt to follow in the Breeders' Cup footprints of Johannesburg when David Wachman's star two-year-old lines up at Santa Anita next weekend as part of the strongest Irish challenge yet on America's most valuable two days of racing.

Up to 15 Irish-trained horses, including Aidan O'Brien's Classic pair Duke Of Marmalade and Henrythenavigator, could travel to Los Angeles, which is over half the entire European challenge for the meeting, which begins on Friday.

Johannesburg was a memorable winner of the Juvenile Dirt for O'Brien seven years ago, having won the Prix Morny and the Middle Park Stakes on his two previous starts. Bushranger boasts the same record and will be upped to a mile on Santa Anita's synthetic surface for the first time on Saturday night.

"I don't think he will have any problem with the trip," Wachman said yesterday. "I would have no qualms going seven furlongs over here and he'll be going round two bends over there, which will make it easier."

The Co Tipperary trainer has had just one Breeders' Cup runner before, but has enjoyed a vintage season with his juvenile team and Pursuit Of Glory will take her chance in the Juvenile Fillies race on the Pro-Ride surface.

The regally-bred filly was third in the Cheveley Park on her last start, and Wachman said: "It was her first time to run on grass and she was a little bit green, which meant the others got first run on her. I'm happy with her."

Friday's five Breeders' Cup races are all for fillies and they will include the Tommy Stack pair Beyond Our Reach and Oui Say Oui in the juvenile turf, as well as Ballydoyle's Halfway To Heaven in the Filly Mare Turf.

Charles O'Brien is preferring Saturday's Mile for his veteran Lord Admiral, who ran in a Keeneland Grade One on his last start.

Aidan O'Brien has indicated that Johnny Murtagh will be on board Duke Of Marmalade in the Classic at Santa Anita, which is the track over which High Chaparral won the second of his Breeders' Cup titles.

It's a long way from there to tomorrow's 10-furlong maiden at Fairyhouse, but High Chaparral's brother Tale Of Two Cities looks up to winning a race that also includes Teofilo's brother Slanwy Wave.

John Oxx runs four in the Finale Stakes, and Michael Kinane's decision to ride Mourad looks significant, considering the horse beat New Zealand easily at Gowran Park last August.

Oxx and Kinane could also be contenders in the day's other Listed contest, the Lanwades Staffordstown Stud Stakes, with Mariyca.

However, preference is for Kiyra Wells, who was edged out by Grace O'Malley on her last start but who is bred to relish the step up to nine furlongs.

Golden Sword has ground to make up on Ebashan from Curragh running, but the son of High Chaparral could be better able to handle any further ease in the going.