3 minute read
Ryan Moore clawed one back on Frankie Dettori in the QIPCO leading jockey award when riding Japan to victory ion the G2 King Edward VII Stakes.
Moore, partnering his fourth winner of the week, rode Japan (6/4f) from off the pace, but there was no mistaking his superiority at the finish, as he swept past his rivals to win by four and a half lengths from Bangkok (10/1), with Eagles By Day (25/1) a further neck behind in third. It was the third time this week that the King Power Racing team and trainer Andrew Balding had finished in the runner-up spot - they were also second in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes with Beat The Band and with Fox Chairman in the Hampton Court Stakes.
Moore said: "This is a high-class colt and he put the race to bed very easily there. We went a pretty good pace. I was happy where I was rounding the home turn, as I was on the best horse.
"He is more than a St Leger horse, no disrespect to the race. This is a good horse and he will be a very effective mile and-a-half horse going forward."
Japan, who is trained by Aidan O'Brien, had finished a close third in the Investec Derby on his previous start. Asked if today's performance was an improvement on that effort, Moore said: "Possibly."
