Moore on board Japan in Saratoga Grade One Ryan Moore is set for another transatlantic trip this weekend to ride Japan in the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga. Moore has enjoyed a couple of recent successful forays to America for Aidan O’Brien, on the likes of Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara, and he will be hoping Japan returns to something like his best form. Winner of the Juddmonte International two years ago, he has won two of his four starts this term, beating Trueshan at Chester first time out and landing a Group Three at Leopardstown most recently. “He kicked off the season with a good win in the Ormonde where he beat Trueshan and Sonnyboyliston,” Moore told Betfair. “That form has been well franked since with Trueshan winning the Goodwood Cup and Sonnyboyliston landing the Ebor last Saturday. “The ground went for him in the Coronation Cup and again in the Hardwicke when it came up soft. He just doesn’t operate to the same level when it’s soft. “With this race in mind, we dropped him back to nine furlongs in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown the last day. He did it well there and I thought he was always holding off the late closers. That will have sharpened him up. “Although only the seven runners here it’s a very competitive race and the Chad Brown-trained Tribhuvan looked smart when making all to land the Grade One United Nations Stakes in Monmouth Park last month. “Cross Border, who won the Bowling Green here on his last run and last year’s winner, Channel Maker, who beat Cross Border by almost six lengths that day, also must be respected. “Hopefully the ground has dried out following some recent bad weather in the area and if it has, then my guy will give a good very account of himself.” The Sword Dancer Stakes is race 11 on a 13-race programme and is off at 10.25pm Irish time on Saturday.
