Henry Cecil venturing to California is akin to Jack Nicholson taking tea at Buckingham Palace. Yet while the quintessential Englishman has been a conundrum to the locals, there is no mistaking his competitive zeal.

Once a reticent traveller, Cecil has renewed his passport in the twilight of an outstanding career. The Newmarket icon has brought three horses to the Breeders' Cup, half as many as he has saddled since Indian Skimmer represented him for the first time in this domain 21 years ago.

To recall that occasion at Churchill Downs is to reflect how times have changed. In his pomp back then, Cecil was astonished to receive a letter from Lord Fairhaven, the Jockey Club's senior steward, urging him not to use medication on the brilliant grey filly with whom Cecil was besotted.

It put him in an impossible position, and he said as much. He was also irked that the Jockey Club made Fairhaven's letter public, so Cecil made public his own response before turning up at Churchill Downs in a tassled suede cowboy jacket. His white leather loafers made wholly inappropriate footwear for an occasion when unrelenting rain transformed the track into a marshland strip.

Indian Skimmer finished third as the 6-5 favourite, prompting Cecil to conclude that travelling horses across the Atlantic at the end of an arduous season was too much to ask. It would be another six years before he returned with Eltish, whose owner, Khalid Abdullah, is a Breeders' Cup devotee.

Father Time, Midday and Twice Over, Cecil's three runners this time, all belong to the Saudi prince who has stood resolutely behind Cecil in hard times. Cecil, for his part, is anxious to repay that faith.

“It would be lovely for us to have a winner,” he said yesterday, “but it would be even better for the prince. My three horses all deserve to come. It's not an easy place to win but I'd be disappointed if they are not all in the first three.”

Time's passage has made Cecil more adventurous. His dislike of leaving the motherland has given way to the thrill of new experiences. Even though the San Gabriel mountains were obscured by clouds here yesterday, he gestured towards them and said: “This is a lovely track in a lovely setting. I have only been here for a couple of days, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it.”

Cecil's first runner, Father Time in tomorrow's Marathon, is up against Man Of Iron, one of Aidan O'Brien's taskforce with which he bids to end a six-year Breeders' Cup drought. Johnny Murtagh became the latest to trumpet Rip Van Winkle's cause yesterday as the injury-prone colt gave work-watchers a brief but telling glimpse of his prowess when he lengthened his stride down the home straight.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner led the Ballydoyle string out at exercise, with O'Brien himself aboard Lillie Langtry. It suggested the problem with Rip Van Winkle's fragile hooves has been successfully contained. O'Brien, aboard a pony, never left Rip Van Winkle's side when the colt took to the track for the first time 24 hours earlier.

Seasoned locals are bemused that Ballydoyle speaks as one in eulogising Rip Van Winkle despite his foot problems. But there was no denying the outbreak of collective awe that greeted the first sighting of his principal Classic rival, Zenyatta, on the main track yesterday.

Having arrived quietly on Wednesday, the unbeaten mare looked full of menace as she glided down the middle of the track under restraint. She was oblivious to inferior animals galloping past her on both flanks, and looks primed to the minute.

Other European horses to fill the eye included Zacinto. Nicely on his toes since Monday, the three-year-old was finally given his head by Sir Michael Stoute and looked robust as he streaked powerfully down the turf track. And despite her hard season, Dar Re Mi showed plenty of zest ahead of her meeting with Conduit and Spanish Moon in Saturday's Turf.

Each passing day sees European optimism increase. So much so that Boylesports issued odds of 5-4 against Europe celebrating five or more winners come Saturday night. Six of the 14 races are run tonight, when Europe will do well to add to an anticipated victory in the Marathon.

Lillie Langtry, from O'Brien's stable, has prospects in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, although she could have moved better yesterday. But Cecil's Midday will do well to contain Forever Together, who shapes to repeat last year's triumph in the Filly & Mare Turf.