RACING NEWS: RYAN MOORE has admitted he did not enjoy having to pick Conduit over Tartan Bearer as his mount in Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
While the champion jockey could have ridden any of Michael Stoute’s three runners in the Group One, it was really down to the Ballymacoll Stud-owned pair ahead of Coronation Cup-winner Ask.
Conduit helped Moore to land the Breeders’ Cup Turf last October and came from off the pace to take third behind Sea The Stars in the Coral-Eclipse last time.
But he has a soft spot for the chestnut Tartan Bearer too, who carried him to second in last year’s Derby and third in the Irish equivalent.
“It was not a nice choice to have. Tartan Bearer is a lovely horse, so it wasn’t easy,” Moore said.
“I didn’t think I’d ride another horse in front of Tartan Bearer, he is very nearly my favourite horse in the yard.
“He’s such a tough horse, has a great attitude and we haven’t seen the best of him yet.
“But the other lad is a Breeders’ Cup winner and has the form in the book.”
Mick Kinane is aboard Tartan Bearer, with Olivier Peslier called up for Ask.
Six others were declared, with Johnny Murtagh picking this year’s Irish Derby runner-up Golden Sword from Aidan O’Brien’s trio.
Ladbrokes go 9 to 2 about his chances following a nibble of interest for the Irish Derby runner-up.
“Punters have started to look beyond the front two for alternatives and Ballydoyle’s Golden Sword is the latest to attract attention,” spokesman David William said.
Seamie Heffernan partners Frozen Fire, with Colm O’Donoghue on likely pacemaker Rockhampton to complete the Ballydoyle team.
Cima De Triomphe and Freemantle were the only two defectors at the 48-hour stage. Three-year-old Alwaary, Look Here and Scintillo complete the field.
KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN
ELIZABETH STAKES BETTING
Ladbrokes: 7-4 Conduit, 7-2 Tartan Bearer, 9-2 Golden Sword, 6-1 Look Here, 12-1 Ask, 14-1 Frozen Fire, 16-1 Alwaary, 40-1 Scintillo, 200-1 Rockhampton.
Betfair: 7-4 Conduit, 4-1 Tartan Bearer, 11-2 Golden Sword, 7-1 Look Here, 14-1 Ask, 17-1 Frozen Fire, 18-1 Alwaary, 59-1 Scintillo, 299-1 Rockhampton.
Walk On Bye is unlikely to travel to Britain this year as she continues the hunt for Group One success on home shores.
The Tommy Stack-trained youngster saw off the colts to land the Anglesey Stakes last time and is set to take on the boys again in Sunday’s Camas Park Ashtown House Phoenix Stakes.
Walk On Bye will be having her second race in just under two weeks when she turns out at the Curragh.
Walk On Bye is entered in both the Lowther Stakes at York next month as well as Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes in October, but Stack has set his sights elsewhere.
“That (the Lowther) won’t happen. She’ll run on Sunday and won’t run again until the Goffs Millions Sprint at the end of season,” he said.
