3 minute read

Curvy was the gutsy length winner of the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes for trainer David Wachman and jockey Ryan Moore.

The daughter of Galileo had a troubled passage during the race with Moore managing to get the horse out of trouble inside the last couple of furlongs. When the 9/2 shot found daylight, she went away to win by a length from even money favourite Pleascach.

Wachman said: "It was a very messy race and they went no gallop at all. They were clambering all over each other so she did very well to win such a messy race. A lot of the horses would not have been suited by the slow gallop but she handled it best of them all. She finished well and I think she won it quite snugly as she doesn't do much when she gets there.

"I was confident that if she managed to get out she would have a great chance because Pleascach was starting to struggle so I wasn't too worried about anything.

"When I saw Kevin Manning working away on his filly [Pleascach] I thought we had a chance. I thought she was going to be second best on the day but it is obviously great that she has won."

Curvy has a host of options for possible targets later on in the season and Wachman was keeping his options open as to where she could end up. He remarked "She will probably step up to Group One class now and we will just keep her separate from Legatissimo.

"She got a free entry in the Irish Derby for winning the Gallinule and my plan was to come here and then possibly run in the Irish Derby but we will see what suits, what colts the owners have to run and what fits in with the plans. You also have the Irish Oaks so we will look at all the mile and a quarter and mile and a half races."

Wachman added: "I have a very good jockey at home in Wayne Lordan and Wayne explained Ryan how to ride her and Ryan carried it out beautifully. It is great to have fourth winner here at Royal Ascot."

Moore, registering a 36/1 double on the day and his seventh winner of Royal Ascot 2015, said: "She has done well to pick up immediately today. She was only doing the minimum at The Curragh [when she won the Group Three Gallinule Stakes], and she rides like a filly who always has a bit left.

"I was very worried about [Jim] Bolger's filly though, she impressed me in the Irish Guineas, but my filly is improving."

When asked what had caused the bit of interference in the race, Moore said: "I wasn't sure - I think the horse on the inside shifted on to Kevin [Manning] maybe and Kevin shifted on to me, and I had to re-gather her, and she did well to pick up and win then."

Classic winner Pleascach proved her stamima when stepping up to a mile and a half in the Ribblesdale Stakes, but found Curvy too good.

Winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her previous outing, the Jim Bolger-trained Pleascach, carrying the colours of Godolphin for the first time, was beaten a length by Curvy, but was four lengths ahead of third-placed Pamona.

Bolger said: "We think she stayed all right, but it didn't just happen today. We have options because she is very versatile at a mile, a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, although I wouldn't envisage going beyond that.

"Curvy is improving every day of the week since starting off on a mark of 72 at Navan earlier this season."

Pamona, who is owned by a Highclere Racing Syndicate, was given a bump when the winner was pushed left by Pleascach. Racing manager, Harry Herbert, said: "We're thrilled. She trapped wide, which wasn't the end of the world, but considering she was given such a bump by the winner in the straight she stayed on really well. I don't think that would have made any difference to the result.

"The question now is whether we should stick to a mile and a half or drop back to a mile and a quarter - the jockey [Andrea Atzeni] was undecided, but said she quickened up really well when he asked her.

"A trip to Ireland [for the Darley Irish Oaks] is being discussed right now, so that's a maybe after we've let the dust settle. She certainly stayed today."