Sire De Grugy gives Moore family a red-letter festival day

Sire De Grugy didn't know he wasn't supposed to win yesterday's BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase and so the 11/4 favourite, the most accomplished and highest-rated horse in the field, duly won the two-mile crown left vacant by the sidelined Sprinter Sacre.

The ability of racing people, from professionals to betting-shop mug, to ignore the obvious in favour of a supposed edge is never to be underestimated and as Sire De Grugy shot six lengths clear of his opposition, the roars of approval that greeted him testified to another great racing truth – everyone loves a winner.

All the various reasons put forward beforehand as to why the French-bred, owned by the most English of racing families – primarily a supposed dislike of Cheltenham, and of going left-handed – were forgotten as Sire De Grugy eased to a completely convincing defeat of Somersby and Module with the gallant Irish veteran Sizing Europe plugging on for fourth.

It’s hard not to avoid the conclusion that Sizing Europe in his pomp would have brushed aside yesterday’s field, just as it is even more difficult to avoid concluding that Sprinter Sacre would have dismissed them with contempt.

But any horse can only beat what’s put in front of it and Sire De Grugy had already done more than enough this season to suggest he had the beating of yesterday’s field. History will show he did just that: what so many ‘shrewdies’ will find out – again – is that history doesn’t pay out.

The roar that greeted the winner then on his return to the winner's enclosure contained more than the usual quotient of goodwill as volume hit levels normally reserved for well-backed Irish winners.

Long career
There is no more popular figure in British racing, though, than Gary Moore, the former journeyman jump jockey who trains far from the Newmarket and Lambourn elite in Brighton, and who hadn't got his hands on a Grade One winner during a long career until Sire De Grugy won the Tingle Creek in December.

Another top-flight success at Ascot last month sealed the new champion’s reputation as a right-handed, flat-track bully, a reputation smashed to smithereens yesterday by Sire De Grugy and the trainer’s son Jamie who, for however short a time, stepped spectacularly out of the shadow of his older brother.

Ryan Moore’s reputation as one of the world’s top jockeys has been sealed by victories in the Derby and the Arc with any number of classics, Breeders’ Cups and a Japan Cup thrown in, but the champion flat rider happily blended into the background yesterday during a supreme family success.

“This means everything for Jamie and dad. They’ve put a lot of hard work into the horse and he’s done so well,” he smiled in the throng. “There was a moment going to the third last I was worried but Jamie took his time and filled him up.”

Ryan may be the star of the Moore racing dynasty but it’s hardly one that’s a cartoon blue-blooded stereotype. Gary Moore’s father Charlie combined training with flogging used-cars and his son’s 17-year riding career produced a relatively paltry 200 winners. His oldest son notches that in a season, but it is hard work that characterises the Moores most of all.

"This means so much to me and my family. I'm proud of them all. It's Jamie's first festival winner and the other jockeys coming out to welcome him shows how popular he is. And seeing Ryan here as well – it meant a lot," said an emotional trainer who could have been forgiven blowing a raspberry at all the doubters.

'Peach of a ride'
"It annoys me the horse doesn't get the credit he deserves. It was all about Sprinter Sacre and someone wrote the other day this race should be done under the trade descriptions act because the Queen Mother Chase isn't right," Moore said. "He can't do any more. He's gone out there and done it. And Jamie's given him an absolute peach of a ride."

There was no argument on that and the winning jockey said: “It’s all down to the horse. I love him so much. He’s had no credit this season but it’s all down to him.

“I actually said to Ruby (Walsh) at the top of the hill ‘what should I do now?’ He just said ‘follow Special Tiara. I have to thank Ruby as well!”

Sizing Europe's trainer Henry De Bromhead was thrilled with his stable star's effort and didn't rule out bringing the 2011 champion to Punchestown again but yesterday was all about the horse many didn't want to know about and his popular connections.

"It's nice to know we're quite well liked," admitted Jamie Moore. "I know everyone seems to hate Ryan but he's not that bad!"

The new two-mile champion knows how that feels.