This was published 8 years ago

Ryan Moore set to ride in Kentucky Derby

PAA

April 23, 2018 - 12.07am

Trainer Aidan O'Brien expects Ryan Moore to travel to America to ride Mendelssohn in the Kentucky Derby rather than stay at home for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Moore has had a long-held ambition to win the Churchill Downs spectacular and appears to have every chance after Mendelssohn put up a breathtaking performance to win the UAE Derby at Meydan last month.

Moore's presence in America would leave O'Brien needing to finalise jockey plans for favourite Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas on the same day, May 5, and stablemates Gustav Klimt and US Navy Flag.

"I think it was (straightforward) for Ryan," O'Brien told At The Races.

"He was always fascinated by the Kentucky Derby and obviously this horse was coming along lovely last year.

"He went through the winter well and his first two runs were lovely, so that (Kentucky Derby) is what Ryan is thinking at the moment. Obviously things can change but that's the way he's thinking at the moment."