3 minute read
Aidan O'Brien's brilliant Irish Guineas weekend continued as Luxembourg (11/4) bounced right back to his best to land the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup under Ryan Moore.
What looked set to be a mouth-watering clash on paper between three heavyweight champions certainly didn't disappoint as the Aidan O'Brien-trained Luxembourg battled on bravely to fend off Bay Bridge in the closing stages.
All three of the main protagonists were beaten on their respective reappearances with Luxembourg finishing a well-held fifth in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stud Stakes over course and distance earlier in the month.
Tactics always looked likely to play a crucial role and Ryan Moore made his intentions clear from the outset by sending Luxembourg to the front. The pair were able to dictate steady fractions out in front and Ryan Moore urged his mount for more entering the final two furlongs. Bay Bridge, who was positioned towards the inside for much of the journey, found himself caught in a pocket as the race began to develop and although closing with every stride, Sir Michael Stoute's Champion Stakes winner was unable to reel in the all-the-way winner who finished half-a-length in front at the line. The pair were six lengths clear of Piz Badile (22/1) back in third.
Christophe Soumillon was hard at work on the 11/8 favourite Vadeni turning for home and in all truth Jean-Claude Rouget's Arc runner-up never looked like being involved from the early stages.
Speaking to Racing TV following the performance Ryan Moore said: "I'm delighted he's bounced back today. He's now a Group 1 winner at two, three, and four. Things didn't work out for him last year. He had a good run in the Guineas but didn't get to Epsom. Came back and won a Champion Stakes, the ground was bad in the Arc, and it just didn't happen."
"I was really pleased with him inside the final furlong there. I thought he was finding plenty, and he hasn't had a lot of racing. I'd like to think he's got a bit more to come. There are a lot of good horses in this division though. I know Bay Bridge is a good horse. I'm not quite sure what happened to Vadeni today but I that he's a good horse. You have Adayar, Hukum, Desert Crown look there are a lot of good horses."
"I'd say that was my horse's best performance today though and hopefully he can back it up and find more."
It was a tenth winner in this Group 1 contest for Aidan O'Brien and he went on to add: "That's hard work from so many people and the lads put so much in day in day out. We are just a small part of a big team and I'm delighted for everybody."
"That was a masterclass from Ryan. He's confident, mature, dedicated, and passionate and he's very strong. He has everything and is a great fellow to work with. He was happy to make the running and happy to take a lead. The horse gets a mile and a quarter very strong."
"The last day was his first day and we were happy to sit in. When a horse is happy to make the running, they are very independent, and you are not at the mercy of anybody. Ryan guided him through all the fractions."
"He went to the [Irish] Champion Stakes after a terrible preparation. He then went to the Arc on bad ground after that hard preparation and it was always possible that he would be as good."
"The lads had the patience to leave him alone and he's a very serious horse. He's not for kids, he's a hardy customer. He's tough and has loads of class."
Paddy Power make Luxembourg a 3/1 shot from 10/1 for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot next month. Sky Bet make him 4/1 from 12/1 for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and 16/1 from 40/1 for this season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.