07 November 2023 , 00:38
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The praise deservedly heaped on Ryan Moore for his brilliant winning ride on Auguste Rodin at the Breeders’ Cup was not universally shared.
The world’s number one jockey learned he breached the US whip rules on his way to victory in the £3.2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
Moore was being rightly hailed as having produced one of the greatest rides ever seen for the way he extricated Derby winner Auguste Rodin from a position locked on the inside to emerge through a gap and win by three quarters of a length.
But a day after the race, when Moore was already on his way to Australia to ride at the Melbourne Cup, the Santa Anita stewards issued their own verdict on the ride.
They ruled Moore had struck Auguste Rodin seven times, one more than the whip stroke limit set by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.
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He was fined £16,200, a sum which must be paid within seven days, and given a one day ban.
The fine is the biggest ever handed out in California history and represents ten per cent of Moore’s share of prize-money from the richest turf race in the US.
Aidan O’Brien lauded Moore for his “brilliant ride” to get Auguste Rodin home in front, but afterwards Moore deflected the plaudits coming his way after resorting to what he described as “Plan F” to get the win.
“I think my horse was getting a bad trip, and I think he won because he's so good.” he said. “Like I made the right call, but it could have been the wrong call as well.
“But because I had so much horse, he was able to overcome things. For me, he won despite things not going as smoothly as they should have gone. I think that marks him out to be a good horse.”