Ryan Moore: The views on my five Curragh rides on Irish Oaks day

Ryan Moore
15 July 2016

Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore has five booked rides at the Curragh on Saturday

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It's Classic day in Ireland on Saturday as the Curragh hosts the Irish Oaks, and here to talk exclusively about his ride on strong favourite Even Song, as well as his other four rides on the day, is Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore...

17:45 Curragh - Even Song

I actually think this race could have more depth than the betting suggests, but obviously I am the one to beat.

14:55 Curragh - Taj Mahal

Being a brother to Gleneagles, not to mention Marvellous and Coolmore, he obviously attracted a fair bit of attention on his debut here over course and distance last month. But he took a long time to warm to his task after starting slowly, and I had to keep nudging away throughout for him to finish in midfield.

You would hope and expect that he learned a lot that day - and I wasn't hard on him there as he was clearly very green and inexperienced - and that he can make his mark in this maiden.

16:40 Curragh - Peace Envoy

He is a horse who would like the ground to dry out. I thought that he was coming to win his race when fourth in the Norfolk and again last time out when just touched off in the Railway Stakes over this course and distance.

But he clearly ran excellent races in both of those Group 2s, is tough and improving, and ideally I would like to see it on the fast side for him, though good ground will be fine and he obviously handles cut well enough, too, as we saw at Ascot. Coventry third Psychedelic Funk is the obvious one to beat, though 7f Leopardstown winner Radio Silence is more of an unknown.

17:10 Curragh - The Happy Prince

He has run two of his better races over this course and distance. His best run was arguably his second to Fort Del Oro last October but he bounced back okay from a disappointing effort in the Wokingham when fourth in a listed race here last time.

Conditions will be fine for him, so it is just a matter of whether his draw in two pans out well and if a mark of 100 is too high. I suspect it might be, but hopefully he will give a good account of himself in what is obviously an open race.

17:45 Curragh - Even Song

I thought that she won the Ribblesdale in spite of the way the race was run. They went a slow pace at Ascot and she did well to quicken up as she did, and win decisively. I was very impressed with the filly when she was an unlucky third in the Pretty Polly over 1m2f on her reappearance at Newmarket, where I think she would have gone close to winning with a clear run, despite the fact that she was beaten nearly 6 lengths.

The step up to 1m4f was always going to suit her at Ascot, which is why that I don't think the steadily-run race there showed her true potential, for all that she won convincingly. She is open to more improvement, and I'd be hopeful that she will continue to progress.

She will probably need to though, as Architecture probably sets the form standard on her Oaks second to Minding. I say probably because, although the figures clearly tell you that, personally I wouldn't be so sure. But you clearly have to respect her, and she didn't get the run of the race in the Ribblesdale either. However, I'd be pretty confident that my filly would confirm the Ascot form with her and the likes of runner-up Ajman Princess and We Are Ninety.

I do have a lot of time for Aidan's other fillies in the race, though. I think Somehow and Seventh Heaven are far better than they showed at Epsom and better ground will suit that pair, while Pretty Perfect looked impressive when making all when stepped up to this trip at Cork last time.

She could be dangerous, as could the tongue-tied Turret Rocks if coming back to her Boussac second as a juvenile and better ground would suit her, too. I actually think this race could have more depth than the betting suggests, but obviously I am the one to beat.

18:50 Curragh - De Coronado

I don't know much about him to be honest. But he is obviously a brother to Zenyatta, and his half-brother Balance won three Grade 1s in the States too, so if he takes after them then I'll be happy enough. However, I don't know anything as it stands, his background, his state of readiness, or whether the 1m4f trip will suit.