Ryan Moore: My Derby ride has the qualities to come of Age at Epsom

Ryan Moore
03 June 2022
3:00 min read

Ryan rides three at Epsom on Saturday including Stone Age in the Derby

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Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore discusses his Derby day rides at Epsom including Stone Age - one of three Galileo colts that have geniune claims in the big race...

"He is an uncomplicated, professional and versatile colt, which is exactly what you need around here."
Ryan Moore's Derby Ride, 16:30 - Stone Age

Good chance especially with bit of rain

14:35 - Potapova

She has a little bit to find with two or three of these on official ratings but I'd be hopeful she can bridge the gap and be very competitive. She finished a good fourth in the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown last season before disappointing at Doncaster, but she clearly wasn't right there and her Kempton comeback was very encouraging.

She would have won in a few more strides and the third, My Astra, came out and impressively won a Listed race at Ayr, as did the fourth, Lola Showgirl, in a Group 3 at Lingfield. She has a good chance in a race that has a bit of depth but lacks a stand-out, and a little bit of rain would be okay for her. Maybe not too much, though.

Galileo colts have geniune claims

16:30 - Stone Age

Desert Crown deserves to be clear favourite after what he did in the Dante on his return - it was the perfect trial in many aspects - but there is no shortage of credible opposition to him. I don't think there is much between our three Galileo colts. I suppose we always thought Stone Age was the most likely of the three to get here with a winning chance, but Changingoftheguard and Star Of India certainly put their hands up at Chester.

Stone Age may not have won at two but he gathered plenty of experience, including when second in Group 1 company on bad ground he wouldn't have enjoyed, and he did it very well from the front at Leopardstown last time. He is an uncomplicated, professional and versatile colt, which is exactly what you need around here.

Changingoftheguard's Chester Vase form is probably not too far off that level, and we know he wouldn't mind it if any significant rain came throughout Saturday, and you have to think Star Of India will relish the trip. He has always been something of a lazy sort but he woke up late on when winning the Dee Stakes, and he hit the line pretty hard over that extended 1m2f.

It's a big field of 17 and you will obviously need luck, and you have to greatly respect Desert Crown, but all three of ours are high-class and progressive in their own right and have genuine claims.

Could go well if ground is decent

17:15 - Boss Power

He has shaped with promise on both starts this season. I rode him on his comeback at Kempton and he didn't get much racing room up the straight at Ascot last time, so I definitely think you can mark up that run. You couldn't say he is obviously well handicapped off a mark of 94, but you can see him going well all the same, especially if the ground stays decent.