Paddy Flood analyses the St James's Palace Stakes and the denial of 'team tactics'

Royal Ascot delivered another unforgettable five days of elite Flat racing last week. From terrific finishes to big-priced winners, it was a meeting that gave us plenty to savour.

On this week’s Irish Angle, former jockey and irishracing.com’s lead analyst, Paddy Flood, gave his thoughts on two world-class jockeys - Ryan Moore and Christophe Soumillon - receiving bans following their rides aboard Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad and Puerto Rico in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes.

Gstaad was beaten a short head into second place by his old rival Bow Echo while Puerto Rico weakened out of contention in the home straight to finish last of the six runners.

O’Brien spoke afterwards and denied any ‘team tactics’ were involved, while Christophe Soumillon has appealed his eight-day ban. The appeal is set to take place this Friday.

What happened?

Ryan Moore was handed a three-day ban for careless riding on leaving the stalls and ‘for allowing his mount to edge left-handed without correction, causing Bow Echo, Talk Of New York and Puerto Rico to become short of room for a number of strides when awkwardly placed between Gstaad and Power Blue on the far outside.’

Meanwhile, Christophe Soumillon picked up an eight-day ban for "riding his mount in such a way that intended to give an advantage to another horse from the same stable". This was in relation to Soumillon moving Ballydoyle pacemaker, Puerto Rico, off the rails allowing Ryan Moore room to come up the far rail aboard Gstaad when heading into the home straight.

Soumillon Appeal

Flood believes Soumillon has a good chance of winning the appeal: “It was very, very blatant. Now he's stuck his neck out and appealed it and I would say he has a chance of getting that appeal in.

“He can come out and say, "Listen, I wanted to be two horses off the rail. I walked the track. I thought that's where the best ground was." It'll be very hard to prove, but he's going to fight it.”

Inexperience showed

The incident involving Ryan Moore was the more concerning of the two according to Flood, who said: “Ryan took a look over, he knew William Buick couldn't get out of a pocket on Talk Of New York.

“In fairness to William Buick, his horse grabbed a hold of it and was keen going to the start - I'm sure he didn't want to be there, but he couldn't get his horse back.

“Ryan spotted that and saw three lanes going into two lanes and thought, "I'll teach this young one a lesson."

“To be fair, if Billy had a little bit more experience, he'd either kick up and shove Ryan into the rail where he should have been, or he'd have taken back completely.

“If he takes back completely, he probably gets an easier run around, but it's a braver sort of ride.

“William Buick was staying out trying to keep his horse relaxed, and Billy wanted to be either ahead of William or behind him with a bit of cover and he was neither.

“He was on his boot, and every time he went to go outside William, William just made him do a little bit more work than he wanted to do. So the horse expended so much energy throughout the whole race from the start.

“He was emptying on the line, and then for Gstaad to probably get three or four lengths advantage by the sea parting for him, and Soumillon kind of sticking out his hand and waving Ryan Moore on - Gstaad still couldn't get there.

“He was strong late, but he deserved to be strong late because he got an easier run around than Bow Echo.”

’Bully-Boy’ Tactics

The weigh room hierarchy can be known for making life difficult for younger jockeys, who may be intimidated by the older, more experienced riders.

Flood spoke about his own experience as a rider and said: “I'd come from the pony racing scene, so I was well tuned into speed and a little bit of madness.

“I remember Timmy Murphy giving me a belt across the head at the start in Galway because I wouldn't turn back from the tape but I was told not to turn back from the tape by Dessie Hughes, and I wasn't going to. So I wasn't intimidated.

“But in a race where you're like Billy - you're new, you're on a very good horse and everybody's watching - there's a lot of stress with that.

“But for Bow Echo to still win, I think he's very good. It turned out to be a great finish, but there was very much bully-boy tactics involved.”

Watch the Irish Angle in full