Ryan Moore on his eight rides at The Irish Derby Festival this weekend - including Los Angeles and Tunbridge Wells - as he goes for glory at the Curragh
Ryan Moore provides insight into his rides at The Irish Derby Festival Moore is preparing for involvement in eight rides at the Curragh
Ryan Moore is looking forward to a busy weekend of racing as he prepares to ride in eight races.
The jockey will be heavily involved at The Irish Derby Festival.
Here, Betfair ambassador Moore goes through his rides.
Jockey Ryan Moore is set for a busy weekend of racing at the Irish Derby Festival
SATURDAY
13:15 Curragh
Rock Of Cashel
We had eight in here but we rely on three of the newcomers, all of which have a lot to recommend them on pedigree and their homework, though the first-day experience will do them all good. I’d have happily ridden any of the three, but I get on Rock Of Cashel, a Wootton Bassett half-brother to Snowfall.
14:20 Curragh
Truly Enchanting
We had six in here and we run three of them. It is fair to say we expected a little more from Truly Enchanting at Royal Ascot last week, but she didn’t run badly, and I think the step up in trip will suit her. If she runs up to the form of her Tipperary debut win in a good time, then I expect a bold show.
14:55 Curragh
Jan Brueghel
He was clearly very impressive for me when winning by a wide margin on his debut here last month. This is obviously a much stiffer test – I am not sure how strong that maiden was, but he couldn’t have done it any better – and hopefully this imposing Galileo colt can deliver in this higher grade. Bolster could be the one to beat but there is no form stand-out in here.
Jan Brueghel faces a challenge but will be looking to prevail and get the better of Bolster
15:30 Curragh
Content
She improved as the season went on last year, and she finished a decent eighth in the French 1,000 Guineas on her return. She has her sights lowered a touch after Royal Ascot – though this is obviously a Group 1 too, with very good fillies like Bluestocking and Emily Upjohn in here - and that was a bit of a non-event for her, as she never really got into the race.
She obviously needs to improve to get competitive here, but maybe the step up to 1m2f will suit this Galileo filly.
17:15 Curragh
John Steinbeck
None of the raced horses set too high a bar, so hopefully he has his chance. He is by Dubawi out of a mare who won her Group 3 here, so the pedigree is there and hopefully the talent is too.
SUNDAY
Moore will also be involved in three races at the Curragh on Sunday as he goes for glory
13:40 Curragh
Tunbridge Wells
We had four in here, all of whom would have acquitted themselves well, and the only one to step aside was Whistlejacket. Tenebrism’s half-brother Henri Matisse showed a willing attitude to just get up here for me on his debut, and he is a colt of some potential. I also thought Tunbridge Wells was very impressive when beating the subsequent Queen Mary runner-up last time. We also run Gowran winner The Parthenon, but I haven’t ridden him before.
Either of the three have the potential to go and win this – though this is certainly not all about our horses with Arizona Blaze and York winner The Strikin Viking in the line-up – but my mount Tunbridge Wells, who wears cheekpieces here, has achieved the most of ours to date.
15:25 Curragh
Mundi
Both of our colts have to improve to win this, but Master Of The Hunt did it well last time – that was probably a career-best for him in first-time cheekpieces - and we think my mount Mundi is better than he showed for me behind Chief Little Rock here last time.
He was unsuited by the soft ground there and he didn’t stay 1m2f in those conditions, so this expected better surface will suit him. I liked this beautifully bred colt, a brother to Churchill among others, when he won on his debut at Dundalk.
16:05 Curragh
Los Angeles
Epsom runner-up Ambiente Friendly is clearly the one to beat – and his Lingfield win has worked out well, too – but Los Angeles is progressing well in his own right and he can hopefully come forward to meet the challenge. He has over 3 lengths to find with Ambiente Friendly on their Derby running but, as I said, let’s hope his rate of progress hasn’t stopped quite yet.
And a different day, on a different track, will hopefully bring about a different result. Matsuri is the unknown in here, but this is a massive step up in class for him after his admittedly impressive Leicester win. Our other horses are certainly not no-hopers, but Los Angeles is our obvious number one going into the race.