Moore pulls Turf victory out of hat on Magician
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A spectacular two days at the Breeders’ Cup for Europe was capped by two more winners on a Saturday night to remember for Ryan Moore. The former champion jockey excelled in landing the Filly & Mare Turf on Dank for Sir Michael Stoute, and bettered even that effort when flying late to snatch the Turf on Aidan O’Brien’s Magician, denying William Buick and The Fugue.
Moore was at his coolest as he sat towards the rear in the mile-and-a-half contest on the Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Magician, who was stepping up from a mile, with Buick bowling along in mid-division on The Fugue, enjoying an almost perfect passage aboard the Irish Champion Stakes winner, in contrast to last year’s luckless run in the Filly & Mare Turf. Buick appeared to have all bases covered when hitting the front from last year’s winner Little Mike, but Moore timed his run to perfection, arriving as the line loomed to get up to win by half a length.
O’Brien, winning the race for the fourth time, said: “Ryan gave him a wonderful ride – a big ‘well done’ to everyone, and especially to the lads for letting me move him up to this trip.”
Defeat was too much for Buick and he was in an emotional state when led back to the jockeys’ room by The Fugue’s owner, Lady Lloyd-Webber. The filly’s trainer, John Gosden, said: “He did everything right, but Aidan’s horse came wide. But I was delighted with the way my filly ran and, hopefully, she will come back next year.”
Dank provided a sixth Breeders’ Cup win for Stoute, who said: “We came here with very high hopes and coming second or third wouldn’t have been very good – in fact, I think she should be unbeaten and if I am allowed to keep her next year she will show how good she is.”
There was no joy for Europe in the Mile as O’Brien’s Cristoforo Colombo and the Richard Hannon-trained Olympic Glory were unplaced behind Wise Dan, who was recording back-to-back wins in the race.
In the Breeders’ Cup Classic, O’Brien’s Declaration Of War was beaten a nose and a head into third behind Mucho Macho Man, a first winner in America’s richest race for 50-year-old Gary Stevens, and Will Take Charge.
The victories of Dank and Magician took the European tally to five, after wins for London Bridge (trained by Jo Hughes) in the Marathon, Chriselliam (Charlie Hills) in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf and Outstrip (Charlie Appleby) in the Juvenile Turf on Friday.
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