Ryan Moore
returns to the
Curragh
today on the back of a Newmarket Guineas double that has sealed his new tie-up with the Coolmore Stud.
A barnstorming late thrust on Legatissimo in Sunday's Qipco 1, 000 Guineas meant a first English classic for Co Tipperary trainer David Wachman, and added to Saturday's sparkling 2,000 Guineas triumph for Aidan O'Brien.
It was a record equalling seventh 2,000 Guineas for O’Brien, who announced only last month that his son Joseph’s weight issues meant Moore, the man widely regarded as the world’s top big-race jockey right now, would be riding more for him this season.
So while both Guineas winners carry the colours of Michael Tabor, long one of the key members in the hugely powerful Coolmore syndicate headed by John Magnier, it was the other common denominator – Moore – which captivated Newmarket on the first classic weekend of the year.
Resolutely low-key
Since Coolmore, and O’Brien’s Ballydoyle base, have a history of employing the best to ride their massive string, a formal link with the resolutely low-key Moore makes the sort of sense that will have Europe’s other top outfits looking over their shoulders even more as the classic campaign hits top gear.
O’Brien has confirmed Gleneagles will try to complete a Guineas double at the Curragh in three weeks – “if we get nice ground” – while both Giovanni Canaletto (Vase) and Smuggler’s Cove (Dee Stakes) are set to test their Derby credentials at Chester this week.
Legatissimo has been promoted to the top of the Oaks betting on the strength of her Guineas defeat of Jim Bolger’s Lucida, the two Irish fillies finishing clear of Tiggy Wiggy, but significantly Moore commented afterwards: “I’m not sure she’ll go a mile-and-a-half but I think she’ll go further.”
Dropping back
Wachman’s star though made light of dropping back in trip from a Gowran the weekend before. “It was taking a chance coming back a week later but it worked. Ryan gave her a great ride,” he said.
Moore became the first jockey to complete the Guineas double since Kieren Fallon managed it a decade previously on the Ballydoyle pair, Footstepsinthesand and Virginia Waters, and needs a St Leger victory for a clean-sweep of the British classics.
That Doncaster race eluded Fallon, largely due to commitments in Ireland on the same day, and Moore’s increasing presence here will be a feature of the latest Curragh card where Found, the winter 1,000 Guineas favourite until taken out at declaration time, returns to action in the Group Three feature.
“We weren’t sure she was ready to go straight for a classic so she’ll run at the Curragh instead,” explained O’Brien, who doesn’t want ground conditions to get too soft ahead of the Coolmore sponsored Athasi Stakes.
