ARCADIA, California, Nov 6 (Reuters) - It was a case of seventh time lucky after a barren run of 21 years in Breeders' Cup races for renowned British trainer Henry Cecil when he celebrated his first victory on Friday.

Trained by Cecil and ridden by Tom Queally, the gallant Midday won the Filly and Mare Turf by a length in late afternoon sunshine at Santa Anita Park.

"It was lovely," a beaming Cecil told reporters after his breakthrough win at the two-day world championships.

"The Breeders' Cup, I always sort of dreaded it, because I haven't been a great success at it over the years. To win it certainly lived up to my expectations, the excitement and thrill.

"Once you've won a race here, you feel you can probably do it again. We have one more to come."

Cecil, 10-times the champion trainer in Britain, will have Twice Over running in the showpiece $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday.

Until then, though, he will bask in the satisfaction of securing a landmark Breeders#' win for himself and for Midday's breeders, Juddmonte Farms, which are owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

BAD TIMES

"It's a lovely feeling, I tell you," Cecil, 66, said. "The Prince has always been a great friend and supporter for me and very loyal through my bad times.

"It's lovely to be able to repay him with a win here because he loves the Breeders' Cup. He adores it, and he deserves winners."

Cecil, a popular and successful figure in the sport for four decades, is also relishing the latest successful chapter in his career after being dealt a major blow in 1995 when his relationship with Sheikh Mohammed broke down.

"We went through a bad patch for four or five years when things were going wrong in every way," said Cecil, who has been battling stomach cancer for the last two years.

"I didn't have the horses and my health hasn't been terribly good. But I was determined to get back.

"I'll never get back to what I was, because I don't want to train more than 100 to 120 horses now where I used to train 200. When I'm competing against armies and a battalion, it's not easy. I love to be able to compete in some good races.

"I feel everything is on the up now, it has been for the last two years. And long may it continue." (Editing by Dave Thompson; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)