3 minute read
Ryan Moore's rundown on his rides on Ascot Gold Cup Day.
Ascot | Race 1: Group 2 Norfolk Stakes (1000m)
CHARLES DARWIN is a very good horse. He's a brother to Blackbeard, who was fourth in the Coventry Stakes as a two-year-old, and already has three runs under his belt, which is a big help coming to a big stage like Royal Ascot.
He won his last two starts pretty comfortably and probably sets the standard.
Ascot | Race 2: King George V Stakes
SERIOUS CONTENDER has been put away since winning at Leopardstown on his reappearance this season and he's in good shape.
Aidan [O'Brien] also runs Light As Air. He was probably unlucky not to beat Serious Contender that day and the step up in trip will suit him.
They're both out of Galileo dams, so hopefully the step up in trip will suit.
Ascot |Race 3: G2 Ribblesdale Stakes
GARDEN OF EDEN won a Listed race at Naas and is a tough filly who will be suited by the step up in trip. She found plenty for pressure and showed a good attitude, so I'm looking forward to getting back on her.
Stablemate Ecstatic is a very likeable filly too. Her dam, Magic Wand, won this race back in 2018 and went on to finish runner-up in a Hong Kong Cup. She's got loads of ability and I think we're yet to see the best of her.
Everything went wrong for her at Newbury last time out. She got caught in a pocket and never got a shot at it at all, so I think you can put a line through that run. I could see her running well and she should appreciate the step up in trip.
Paddy Twomey's filly, Catalina Delcarpio, was a bit unlucky not to win at Navan on her last start and possibly the one to beat, though quick ground is a question mark for her.
Hopefully, ILLINOIS can prove to be a good replacement for Kyprios. He's never gone this far before, but I've won it on a couple of four-year-olds who came into this race with the same sort of profile. You never know if they'll get the trip until you try it.
He won the Queen's Vase here last year, ran second in the St Leger, he won well at Longchamp on his final start last season and then made a winning return at Chester this year. He gives every impression that he'll stay and that he'll like quick ground.
Candelaria is another four-year-old who's open to improvement, and he deserves plenty of respect.
Trawlerman is the one who's been there and run very well before, so is a very solid challenger.
Ascot | Race 5: Britannia Stakes
SERENGETI takes his chance in here. It's always a wide-open race and he's coming off the back of finishing last in the French Guineas having made all the running. This is obviously a drop in class, but it's hard to know his level after that run.
There will be plenty of yard who'll think they've got one lined up for this. The likes of Parole d'Oro for Michael Bell and William Haggas' Raafedd are both interesting runners.
Ascot |Race 6: G3 Hampton Court Stakes
I'm on TRINITY COLLEGE here. He comes into this off the back of a very good fourth in the French Derby and looks to have every chance on all known form.
Detain finished just ahead of him in that race, so would deserve to be favourite, and Reyenzi could be a bit of an outsider to look out for. He's a talented horse who was first past the post but got demoted to third in a messy race at the Curragh last time.
Ascot |Race 7: Buckingham Palace Stakes
I'm riding for John & Thady Gosden here on ROI DE FRANCE. He's got to carry plenty of weight but has run well in some very hot handicaps, so looks like a good ride to pick up. It's hard to be too confident in a wide-open handicap like this, though.
Hopefully he runs well for his new connections, having been purchased on Monday.
