OH THIS IS US
Ryan Moore gives the lowdown on his Epsom rides
He has put up two excellent performances in this race, finishing a close third in 2017 and when beaten a length by Zaaki last season.
A reproduction of last year’s second would probably see him go close here, but he has a bit to find on his recent performances, especially with Safe Voyage. LOVE
I am on the best filly going into the race — and a straightforward, uncomplicated one, too. We have always viewed her as more of an Oaks filly, so we have to be confident.
I know the placed horses in the 1,000 Guineas were well beaten at Royal Ascot, but I wouldn’t get too hung up on that.
It is not as if they were disgraced against a good winner (Alpine Star) anyway, and the sixth home, Under The Stars, has come out and won a good Listed race at Haydock.
I’d be focusing on the stylish manner in which my filly won that Classic, not only scoring by a wide margin but also hitting the line hard.
Of course, you can never be sure if any horse will see out an extra 4f in one fell swoop but I don’t anticipate any problems.
The opposition may have more to say than the trip, though, as Frankly Darling clearly looked a very good filly in leading home Ennistymon, Passion, who I rode, and Bharani Star in the Ribblesdale.
In particular, Ennistymon (right) came from a fair way back, closing down the winner, and the way in which she stepped forward so much from her maiden win to Ascot after just a week was very impressive and augurs well for her chances.
But my filly sets the standard. ONASSIS
She is the lowest-rated in here by some way but comes here on the back of a career-best and hopefully she can nick some black type.
MOGUL
I imagine plenty in here will be fancying their chances. The three-year-olds this season haven’t had much racing, and trainers are still feeling their way in gauging whether they have milers or 1m2f or middle-distance horses on their hands.
I do think Kameko sets the form standard by a fair way, though. He is a Group 1 winner at two who has won a Guineas, so there is no doubt that he is a high-class colt. The question with him is obviously will he stay the extra half-mile
That’s a big question. It isn’t for
English King, as we know the Camelot colt stays well after his Lingfield win, and the runner-up chased home the subsequent
Irish Derby winner Santiago in the Queen’s Vase. But does he have the class?
There is no doubting that I was disappointed with Mogul’s effort behind Pyledriver in the King Edward VII Stakes, but it was a messy little race and Aidan had made no secret of the fact that he needed the run badly, so let’s hope he steps forward as much from that first run of the season as his brother Japan did in this race last year.
He has always been thought of as an Epsom horse. We will find out this afternoon.
Russian Emperor is a straightforward colt, and the form of his Hampton Court win is solid. I was impressed with him at Ascot, as he looked better the further he went over 1m2f. He is an exciting colt going up in trip.
Likewise Vatican City, who is from a family of top-class milers, but a very smart 1m4f winner in Taj Mahal, too. He probably has the second-best form in the race after his second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, though once again the key to his chance is whether he fully sees out this 1m4f trip. That is pretty much the theme of this year’s race.
3.40
4.15