Equinties - Glorious Goodwood day 4

Gm Equinauts

RYAN F****** MOORE.

Yesterday, Racing X had a tugging-off contest over Ryan Moore.

And they are absolutely within their rights to do so as, yet again, he showed his class on more than one occasion.

His day began with JAN BRUEGHEL in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes, a race you’d think he had no right if just tuning in from the start.

Let’s not concentrate on the last part of the race when BELLUM JUSTUM looked the winner, JAN BRUEGHEL won that for himself. That was the GALILEO in him.

Where Ryan Moore was king was at the start of the race when JAN was first off the bridle just to keep tabs with the runaway leader. That was class.

Anyway, JAN BRUEGHEL probably won the Gordon Stakes three times over with the amount of effort he had to give, and one can understand why he looks a St Leger type.

Then there was the drifter of the day, OPERA SINGER. Even Aidan O’Brien’s strong confidence in her couldn’t persuade the market. But the market was wrong, Ryan got her home with an electric front running ride to win the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.

It turns out this misplaced bet at Ascot did mean something after all!

Having gone from being beaten in the Irish Guineas and losing at Ascot, Ballydoyle now think she can take on the Arc, and they have Moore’s brilliance from the front to thank for that. Don’t get too over excited with your Arc ante-post bets because she won’t go a yard in heavy ground (which is typical for that race).

Going forward, watch out for SEA THE FIRE of Andrew Balding. They persisted with her at Group 1 company and nearly got their day in the sun yesterday. She looks a nice filly

For anyone else that would have been a good months work, Ryan Moore wasn’t even finished with the meeting, going on to win on AMERICAN PHAROAH daughter DREAMY, a rare British debut winner for Aidan to cap off a great few hours on the Downs.

If Ryan picked up jockey of the day award, only one man could pick up trainer of the day… well, certainly trainer of the meeting.

ENTER - MIGHTY MICK

BIG EVS last year in the Molcomb, BIG MOJO this time around, Mighty Mick wasn’t done yet as SHAGRAAN put what he’s been showing at home to good use on the track.

We heard ages ago SHAGRAAN was pumping BIG EVS at home and he finally showed up to bolt up yesterday (albeit in a handicap, when we thought he was a Group horse).

Mick Appleby has clearly targeted this Goodwood meeting and the well-backed SIOUX NATION three-year-old got his win in the Class 3 five-furlong handicap.

So, about SHAGRAAN. How far can he go?

Well, we think pretty far. He had to pass rivals to win yesterday, but Tom Marquand knew what he had underneath him and he knew only a few taps from the whip would be required.

He won off 83 yesterday and the handicapper can only realistically give him 5lbs for that, so another win can be expected soon.

This form for Appleby sets him up perfectly for today and his big hope, BIG EVS. There’ll be no excuses today. Ground, course, and yard form all look perfect.

Over to you, BIG EVS.

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