Champion English jockey Ryan Moore will be the new rider of boom colt Shinzo in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday
Ryan Moore will jet into Sydney to ride top Golden Slipper hope Shinzo for Coolmore Australia.
Champion English jockey Ryan Moore, regarded by many as the world’s best rider, will partner boom colt Shinzo in the $5m Longines Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Moore answered an SOS from Coolmore Australia supremo Tom Magnier and will make the trip to Sydney for the Golden Slipper meeting.
Shinzo, trained by Chris Waller, burst into the Golden Slipper field with a brilliant win under James McDonald at last Saturday’s Rosehill meeting.
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But McDonald is booked to ride Godolphin’s Cylinder in the Golden Slipper – subject to a favourable outcome at the Racing NSW Appeals Hearing on Monday – leaving Coolmore to reach out to Moore.
“I know Ryan was with (trainer) Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle and they watched Shinzo’s win together,’’ Magnier said.
“Ryan was very impressed with the colt and is excited to be riding him in the Golden Slipper.’’
Moore, who has ridden 2995 career winners including 168 at Group 1 level, is no stranger to big-race success in Australia. He won the 2014 Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup double on Adelaide and Protectionist respectively, and the 2019 Mackinnon Stakes on Magic Wand.
Ryan will be having his third ride in the Golden Slipper on Shinzo. The jockey partnered Formality when the filly ran near last behind She Will Reign in 2017, and also rode Odyssey Moon when eighth behind Vancouver in 2015.
After Shinzo’s impressive win in the Pago Pago, the colt firmed into $11 for the Golden Slipper behind Cylinder, the $4.50 favourite.
Coolmore also races unbeaten filly Learning To Fly, the $5.50 second favourite for the world’s richest juvenile race.
Magnier said recently there are two races worldwide which Coolmore’s racing and breeding operation covet more than any other – the Kentucky Derby and Golden Slipper.
Shinzo and Learning To Fly give Coolmore arguably their best chance yet to win the Golden Slipper, a race that shapes the Australian racing and breeding industry like no other.
“We are very positive about Learning To Fly’s chances,’’ Magnier said. “Annabel (Neasham, trainer), is very happy with the filly and we are really looking forward to the Slipper.’’
Moore is likely to be inundated with offers on Slipper Day with Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien expected to book the jockey for the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m).
Meanwhile, McDonald will be desperate to get a reduction of his six-meeting careless riding suspension so he can ride on Slipper Day.
Godolphin Australia’s Vin Cox said McDonald is booked to ride for the stable in three of the Group 1 races – Cylinder (Golden Slipper), plus champion Anamoe in the $1 million George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Pericles in the $600,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
“We do have a ‘plan B’ in place and a few jockeys in mind if James is unavailable but we will keep that to ourselves for now as we are hoping the appeal goes well and he ran ride on Slipper Day,’’ Cox said.
Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman is returning from Hong Kong to ride at the Golden Slipper meeting where his early mounts include Team Snowden’s Don Corleone in the Golden Slipper, Golden Mile (George Ryder) and El Bodegon (Ranvet Stakes).
Waller has booked Kerrin McEvoy for Lazzago (Golden Slipper) and Fangirl (George Ryder), and he will ride lightweight hope Remarque for Team Hawkes in The Galaxy.
Originally published as Champion English jockey Ryan Moore will be the new rider of boom colt Shinzo in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday
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