Ryan Moore looks ahead to his Epsom rides World Pool Ambassador Ryan Moore goes through his chances at Epsom this weekend including his plum rides in the Friday's Oaks and Saturday's Derby. All eight races at Epsom on Friday and Saturday are World Pool races, with punters from across the globe betting into Tote pools. The Derby and the Oaks are two of the most important races of the year. For trainers, owners, breeders, and definitely for the jockeys, these are the ones you want to win most. Epsom provides a true test. You have to have everything to win a Classic there; speed, stamina, balance and a good mind. Epsom Friday | Race 3: G3 Diomed Stakes I kick off the day with SKUKUZA, who holds a chance if returning to his form of last year. He had a good season, winning at the Curragh and holding a good level of form for most of the year. He has been disappointing this year, but I think the stiff mile at Epsom will suit him well. The slower ground isn’t particularly in his favour but if it isn’t too bad, he should be okay. It’s a strong renewal for a Group 3. Qirat won the Sussex Stakes and has to be respected if he’s able to get out on the front end. Boiling Point is another forward going runner who seems to be in good form whilst Chancellor often doesn’t run a bad race. Persica is well suited to the track, winning this race last year and Seagulls Eleven looks to be in good form going into this contest. Epsom | Race 5: G1 Oaks I ride AMELIA EARHART in the Oaks, who looks like going off favourite. She took a while to break her maiden as a two-year-old before winning on soft ground at Leopardstown at the end of the last season. She started this season with a nice win in the Cheshire Oaks, a race we’ve used in the past for the likes of Minnie Hauk en route to Epsom, so hopefully it will prove to be a good prep again. She’s a big filly that will get the trip well and I don’t think the rain will be an issue. I’m looking forward to a good run from her. We also run Cameo and Sugar Island. Cameo put in a good performance to win the Lingfield Oaks Trial. She looks to have plenty of stamina and is entitled to step forward again over this slightly further trip. She could run well at a fair price. Sugar Island made the running in the Cheshire Oaks. She’s a stakes winner herself and carried a penalty that day. I expect that she will come forward that run and has a decent chance also. The Juddmonte filly Legacy Link was a good winner of the Musidora for John and Thady Gosden. She looks as if she will be suited by the step up in trip and is one to take seriously. Thundering On of Joseph O’Brien’s was a good winner of the Salsabel Stakes at Navan, she looks an interesting filly with a good turn of foot, and I can see her also being a threat. Ralph Beckett runs three in the race, the best of his looks like A La Prochaine. She finished third in the Cheshire Oaks behind Amelia Earhart. She didn’t look quite ready that day and should benefit from the step up in trip and more of a galloping track. It’s a small field, but there are plenty of nice fillies in there. Epsom | Race 6: HKJC World Pool Handicap I ride STERLING KNIGHT, who won his last start at Newmarket over a mile, having finished third at the track back on Guineas weekend. He looks to have a nice draw in stall 1 of 18 but it’s a very competitive race. He’s going well but is on a stiff mark so will need things to go in his favour if he’s to win. Derby Day on Saturday The Derby remains the most important race of the season. It’s a great day and a big test for a three-year-old, needing to handle the unique physical challenge of Epsom as well as the crowds. Epsom | Race 3: G1 Coronation Cup First of all for me it’s the Coronation Cup, which only has a field of six, but all of them are high-class horses, with four of them being Group 1 winners. I ride JAN BRUEGHEL, who won the race last year when seeing off Calandagan. He only ran once after that when disappointing in the King George but bounced back this season with a nice win at Chester. He stays well and I’m looking forward to riding him. Lambourn also runs here. He won the Derby and Irish Derby last year and started the year off nicely at Chester so has a good chance back on a track he likes. Calandagan is our main rival in here. Since he got beat in this race last year, he’s gone on an unbeaten run, winning the King George, the Champion Stakes, the Japan Cup as well as in Dubai. He’s going to be tough to beat but Jan Brueghel is in good form and I’m looking forward to riding him. Epsom | Race 5: G1 Derby I ride BENVENUTO CELLINI, who’s a beautiful mover by Frankel, out of Newspaperofrecord, a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, and he will probably go off favourite here. He was a good winner of the Chester Vase on his first start this year, so he’s already proven at the trip. He’s an uncomplicated horse with great balance and I’m looking forward to riding him. I think he has most of the things you need to win a Derby. We also run Pierre Bonnard. He’s a son of Camelot out of Sultanina that won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud last year. He was beaten on his first two runs this year, but he will be suited by stepping up to the 1m4f and the rain that’s falling will be in his favour. I can see him running a big race. Action and Christmas Day, who finished second and third in the Dante at York, also run. I think that Action will relish the step up to a mile and a half, and the rain will be a benefit to his chances. He’s also half-brother to Lambourn who won the race last year. Christmas Day is a tough, consistent horse and I think he will run well also. Item got the better of Action and Christmas Day in the Dante and is an unbeaten colt by Frankel out of a Lope De Vega mare, so there’s some similarities to Benvenuto Cellini there. He’s open to any amount of improvement and must be taken seriously. Maltese Cross and Bay Of Brilliance finished 1st and 2nd in the Lingfield Derby Trial, pulling clear of the rest. Being by Sea The Stars out of a Camelot mare, Maltese Cross is bred to stay and is an interesting runner. Joseph [O’Brien] runs James J Braddock who beat Pierre Bonnard the last day, and the step up in trip should suit.
