RYAN’S FLYING
Moore wins Leger on Capri to complete Classic haul
RYAN MOORE collected the only British Classic missing from his record when driving Aidan O’Brientrained 3- 1 favourite Capri to a half-length success in the William Hill St Leger.
Six days earlier, the three-time champion jockey had easily won his first Irish Leger on O’Brien’s Order of St George.
Success in the 241st running of the world’s oldest Classic was much harder fought, as Capri fended off runner-up Crystal Ocean with thirdplaced Stradivarius a short-head further behind.
Fourth place went to O’Brien’s sons — trainer Joseph and jockey Donnacha — with Rekindling.
Capri may share the name with a sporty fast-back coupe but he is no showy Fancy Dan with furry dice hanging from his bridle.
Leading four furlongs out, sheer guts ultimately lifted the son of super stallion Galileo over the line to become the first Irish Derby winner to also win the St Leger since the great Nijinsky in 1970.
Next move for the colt could be a berth in O’Brien’s squad for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly a week on Sunday, for which he is a 20-1 shot. Moore said: ‘I think that was probably as good a Leger as you will see. I feel in normal years any of the first three would have been worthy winners.
‘Capri was very brave. The second came to him with a strong run and he showed plenty of heart to fend him off. [Arc favourite] Enable is a very good filly but taking her out it is a very open race and I think Capri is a very good horse.’
Capri’s sixth place in the Derby was a better run than it looked after he made a big mid-race energy-sapping run. That was backed up by his win in the Irish Derby. But O’Brien, who was winning his fifth St Leger, admitted he was slightly nervous about the colt’s readiness after an infection had forced him out of his prep-race, last month’s Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
‘With the hold-up we were a little bit worried but Ryan gave him a great ride,’ said the trainer. ‘When Ryan really wanted him, he gave it to him.’
Moore has had a recent run where he has not always chosen correctly when faced with multiple race assaults by his boss O’Brien.
He was only on board one of the trainer’s three Group One winners at last weekend’s Irish Champions weekend. He was also on unplaced Mendelssohn in yesterday’s main supporting race, the Group Two Champagne Stakes, won by O’Brien’s 8-1 shot Seahenge with his son Donnacha in the saddle.
But choosing to ride Capri over O’Brien’s other three runners cannot have been a tough decision over Venice Beach ( eighth), Douglas Macarthur (ninth) and pacemaking The Anvil (last of 11).
But Moore’s move to set sail for home so far out looked decisive. While he always seemed to be holding strong stayer Stradivarius, who trainer John Gosden said could now head for the two-mile Long Distance Cup on Champions’ Day at Ascot next month, second-placed Crystal Ocean cruised up ominously under Jim Crowley.
But when Crowley looked to press the accelerator on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained contender, the petrol tank registered empty in the final half furlong of this one and three and quarter mile contest.
Stoute 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 [he would not stay]. That is his trip.’