Ryan Moore looks ahead to his Curragh rides

World Pool ambassador Ryan Moore has a strong book of rides at the Curragh this weekend, including the favourites in both the Irish 2000 Guineas today and the Irish 1000 Guineas tomorrow and gives his thoughts on his chances across the weekend.

All nine races at the Curragh on Saturday are World Pool races along with the Irish 1000 Guineas and Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday.

Curragh Saturday | Race 1: 2yo Maiden

The opener on Irish 2000 Guineas Day is a six-furlong colts and gelding’s maiden, where I ride SERGEI DIAGHILEV.

He’s by Wootton Basset out of Embellish, so he’s a full brother to Endorsement. He has been working well and has done some nice pieces of work in the lead-up to this.

Obviously, it’s his first run so we will be learning about him. Most of his opponents are making their debuts as well, so nobody knows quite where they stand really.

We run two others, Bold Commander, who is a No Nay Never out of Alphabet who’s shown plenty of pace, and South Dakota, who’s a St Mark’s Basilica out of Palace.

Curragh | Race 4: G2 Greenlands Stakes

My next ride comes in the G2 Greenlands Stakes, where I ride COMANCHE BRAVE.

He was last seen at Sha Tin when running behind Ka Ying Rising in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize. He wasn’t disgraced, only being beaten six lengths by the best sprinter on the planet.

It’s a good race and it’s usually a good pointer to the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Powerful Glory was a big-price winner on Champions Day, so he needs to back that up, Bucanero Fuerte is a horse with high-class form — being a Group 1 winner in the past — as is Montassib. Spycatcher is rock-solid at this level, and you must respect Big Gossey at the Curragh too. It’s quite a competitive race but I believe Comanche Brave holds a good chance.

Curragh | Race 5: G1 Irish 2000 Guineas

In the Irish 2000 Guineas, I ride GSTAAD.

He’s done nothing wrong in his career; he’s a Coventry winner and a Breeders’ Cup winner as a two-year-old. He ran well in the 2000 Guineas when finishing second to Bow Echo, finishing eight lengths clear of the third Distant Storm who reopposes here, with Thesecretadversary and Power Blue further behind.

On that form, he’s very hard to beat and I’m looking forward to riding him. He deserves to win one of these and hopefully he can do that on Saturday.

Distant Storm was just behind us in the Dewhurst, and you could make an argument that he could get closer. Thesecretadversary did a few things wrong at Newmarket and could improve, whilst Alparslan is a

Greenham winner that looks a nice type. Power Blue is a Group 1-winning two-year-old and he ran respectably in the 2000 Guineas, but he may be better over shorter.

Curragh | Race 6: G3 Gallinule Stakes

My last ride on Saturday is in the G3 Gallinule Stakes, aboard CAUSEWAY. He’s a progressive son of Wootton Bassett, who has won his last three starts, the latest being a Listed race at the track.

The step up to a mile-and-a-quarter looks as if it will suit, he has a super attitude, and he’ll likely be favourite here.

The biggest danger could be his stable companion Drop Dead Gorgeous. She’s a lovely, big filly that won on debut before not getting the clearest of runs last time in a Group 3 over a mile.

Shaihaan won a maiden over course and distance at the end of March and was fourth in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown. Mr Vettori was a long way behind Benvenuto Cellini last time at Chester, and it will be interesting to see how these horses all stack up with the different lines of form.

Curragh Sunday | Race 5: G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup

On Sunday, I’m riding MINNIE HAUK in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

She had a very good season last year, when winning the English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks before being beaten a head in the Arc.

She started back in a Group 2 over course and distance where she had no more than a bit of work when winning. She seems to be training well and is a high-class filly. Hopefully, she will take all the beating here.

There are a few horses that she hasn’t raced against previously coming over. Almaqam is one. He had good form when finishing third in the Champion Stakes behind Calandagan and Ombudsman.

Saddadd looks a new horse this year. He won a Group 3 at Sandown at the end of April and steps up here. Bay City Roller finished second to Lambourn the last day, whilst Green Impact had good two-year-old form but needs to step up again.

Royal Rhyme has been disappointing on his two starts but formerly has high-class form, so is entitled to get back on track and can’t be written off either.

Curragh | Race 6: G1 Irish 1000 Guineas

I ride TRUE LOVE in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

She has been very impressive in her two starts this year. She carried a penalty when winning at Leopardstown over seven furlongs before winning the 1000 Guineas impressively at Newmarket. She’s a lovely, big, scopey filly and that run probably gives her the form edge.

I rode Precise at Newmarket; she perhaps wasn’t at her best that day and hopefully she’s come forward enough from that. On her two-year-old form, she’d be the one to beat.

Abashiri ran a respectable race in the Guineas, she was four lengths behind True Love that day on only her second start. Sukanya won the Fred Darling at Newbury, she’s entitled to improve for that. America Queen finished second in the Nell Gwyn, whilst Black Caviar Gold was second in the Athasi on her last run and Magny Cours followed True Love home in the trial.