IRISH-TRAINED CAPRI STAVES OFF CRYSTAL OCEAN AND STRADIVARIUS IN DONCASTER THRILLER
ow many times has it been said before and how many times will it be said again — Ryan Moore is without doubt the best jockey in Europe, if not the world.
A man of few words, who goes about his business in an ominously down-to-earth manner, Moore delivered yet another masterclass aboard the Irish-trained Capri to win the St. Leger, the longest, oldest and last of British racing’s five Classics, on Saturday.
The Doncaster showpiece has a rich history of producing some breathtaking battles and this year’s renewal was no different, with three horses waging a monumental battle to the line. But in the end, it was the grey son of the incomparable Galileo who would claim the season-ending honour and the lion’s share of the £700,000 (Dh3.5 million) booty.
While the winner was supplying Aidan O’Brien with a fifth St. Leger, it was, strange as it may seem, a first for multiple champion jockey Moore, who has been a dominant force on the turf over the last decade
Capri, who became the first horse since Triple Crown hero Nijinsky in 1970 to win both the Irish Derby and the St. Leger, held off Crystal Ocean, the mount of reigning champion jockey Jim Crowley and, James Doyle’s Stradavarius. The margins being a half a length and a short-head.
Crystal Ocean made a strong run from the rear, but Capri held the aces to score by half a length and give O’Brien a fifth win in the race. Stradivarius was just a short-head away in third.
“He’s a very good horse, he’s an Irish Derby winner and a Group Two-winning two-yearold as well,” said Moore, 34. He’s run in a lot of good races this year, he’s a very good horse and very honest.
“When Crystal Ocean came to him, he dug in. He’s done very little wrong in his career and has progressed from race to race. It was a very good performance in a very good St. Leger.”
On having won all five of Britain’s Classic, he told ITV Racing: “It means you have to win it again, really.”
Sir Michael Stoute was pleased with Crystal Ocean’s effort but admitted that he had run to the max.
“I’d prefer to have won it, but he ran a great race, we’re thrilled with him,” he said.
“I thought he was going to win, but we won’t run him beyond a mile and a half again. It was always a danger that he was a mile-and-a-half horse and that’s his trip.
“Jim [Crowley] gave him a lovely ride and I always felt he might win. Jim reported he was always pretty confident, but he was just outstayed.”
Gosden said of his two runners: “He [Stradivarius] has run a cracker. It was a relentless pace, very strong and there was no hiding place.
“Coronet has run a lovely race [fifth]. This fellow [Stradivarius] got isolated, he was coming back in the last 50 yards but they were racing away from him and he wasn’t racing against anything.”