Ryan Moore was on Friday presented with his second British Jockeys’
Championship and was looking both backward and ahead to new challenges.
Currently sitting on 174 wins, Sir Michael Stoute’s retained rider is due to
partner a host of main chances at Santa Anita next weekend, including Khalid
Abdullah’s ZACINTO (GB) (Dansili [GB]) and Ballymacoll’s CONDUIT (Ire) (Dalakhani)
in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), respectively, and
Michael Tabor’s BEETHOVEN (Ire) (Oratorio [Ire]) in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
(G1).
“I had a nice year and a few big winners along the way and I’ve cut down a
lot on my rides from three years ago to be a little bit fresher and avoid bans,”
Moore said. “I’m very lucky to ride for Sir Michael Stoute and his owners and
Richard Hannon, dad (Gary Moore) and Newmarket trainers like William Haggas and
Jeremy Noseda. Winning the King George (Eng-G1) on Conduit was the highlight, as
it’s still the most important race in England after the Derby (Eng-G1). There is
still plenty more to do and the big races, rather than the championship, are the
most important thing.”
Moore partnered Conduit to a 1 1/2-length victory in last year’s Turf, which
resulted in the chestnut earning an Eclipse Award as champion male turf horse.
The pair was last seen together finishing fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Fr-G1) on October 4. Moore and Zacinto made their most recent run
together a second in the Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1), and the rider guided
Beethoven to victory in the Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1).
“Conduit probably hasn’t been quite at the same level as last year, but
hopefully he’s where we want him now,” Moore said, before going on to talk about
Zacinto. “The Mile is not an easy race and you need a good draw and luck, but
Zacinto’s last run (when second in the Queen Elizabeth II S. was a massive
effort — Rip van Winkle (Galileo [Ire]) is as good a miler that has been around
for the last few years and we gave him a fright. Obviously, it’s a big step up
against Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) and Delegator (GB) (Dansili [GB]), but we’d
like to think he’s progressed a bit more and we’ve got to have a crack.”