Ryan Moore is regarded by many as the best jockey in the world and broke a modern day record last week at the world’s most prestigious meeting, Royal Ascot, when riding nine winners over the five days.

The legendary Fred Archer holds the all time Ascot record, riding 12 winners 137 years ago in 1878. However, Moore’s victory on the Aiden O’Brien-trained 5-2 favourite Aloft in Friday’s Listed Queen’s Vase over two miles, saw him surpass the modern-day record of eight winners in a single Royal Ascot meeting, achieved by Pat Eddery in 1989 and by Lester Piggott in both 1965 and 1975.

There were 30 races over the five days of the Royal meeting last week, which ran from Tuesday through to Saturday, and Moore rode in 29 of them. He recorded nine wins, four seconds, one third, four fourths, two fifths and two sixth places, meaning he failed to earn connections a cheque on only seven occasions.

He had one Gr 1 win, on the brilliant Aden O’Brien-trained Galileo colt Gleneagles in the St James Palace Stakes, which was the fourth race on day one and his first winner of the meeting.

He also had three Gr 2 wins and two Listed wins.

Moore rode 12 favourites and won on four of them. However, his return on the Tote for a R1 stake on every ride would have been seen a profit of R30.70.

It looked unlikely Moore was going to break the record on Friday as he came into the home turn well back on Aloft in the Queen’s Vase. However, the Galileo colt finished strongly to win by half-a-length.

Moore said: “It was a very messy race. I got into a bad position and I had to pick my way through.

“He’s a fair horse this fellow. He’s open to all sorts of improvement, it’s his first run of the year and you wouldn’t know where he could end up.

“I’m very lucky, I get to ride the best horses and that makes a big difference.”

The question was now whether he could challenge Archer’s record on the final day as he had some good rides, including three favourites.

However, the three-times champion jockey had added after the Queen’s Vase victory, “The record is not something you think about, we’ll think about rides tomorrow then worry about this.”

As it happened he scored a blank on the final day.

Aiden O’Brien said after Moore had equalled the record on Thursday when winning the Britannia Stakes on 10/1 shot War Envoy, “Ryan was superb he’s a marvellous jockey, the greatest I’ve ever seen.” That is quite a compliment from one of the most successful trainers in the history of the Sport Of Kings.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Ryan Moore at Royal Ascot last week (Press Association)

Paul Reeves is targeting the CTS Million Dollar after the way Forward Drive blitzed the opposition in the Racing. It’s A Rush Maiden Juvenile at Kenilworth on Sunday.

The grey colt, backed from 5-1 to 33-10, made every metre and stretched away from two furlongs out to beat Cavallino by more than three lengths.

Paul Reeves said: “I told Brandon May to get out there and make the others race. This horse is still very immature – his nickname at home is Floppy – and he hasn’t filled out yet. He is to go over 1 400m but I will give him another run up the straight first.

“He is eligible for the Million Dollar but of course we have to qualify, and I reckon you are going to have to win two or three races to get a run.”

The weakening Rand has increased the value of the Kenilworth January 23 spectacular to R12.16 million and the winner will get half. Forward Drive was bought by his trainer for just R100 000. Little wonder that the colt’s owners are dreaming!

The Snaith stable is talking in terms of the Investec Cape Derby for More Than Grand who came good at the fourth attempt in the Winter Solstice Maiden Juvenile but only after Richard Fourie had scrubbed away for five of the seven furlongs.

“He is a lazy sod but when he finds his feet he will turn into a serious horse,” said Jonathan Snaith. “I didn’t think he would win 400m out but Richard Fourie is on fire at the moment and this horse is the kind we will see in next year’s Derby.”

Cape Town two-year-olds are faring well against the older horses in maidens – even though they meet them on terms 4-6kg worse than weight-for-age – and the Vaughan Marshall-trained Victorius Jay became the fifth to beat them in four weeks in the 1 400m maiden.

MJ Byleveld said: “I thought I was in a bit of trouble 600m out because the cruising speed of the older horses is higher than that of the juveniles at the moment, but once into the straight I always thought I was going to win. Furthermore I am sure this horse is going to improve.”

Glen Kotzen reached the 80-winner mark for the season with a two-year-old when newcomer Night In Tahiti justified support from 33-1 to 14-1 with a fine burst of acceleration close home in the opener. It was only Stuart Randolph’s second Kenilworth visit this term.

Jam Tart, only third when 9-20 for the Kenilworth Maiden, was found to be coughing afterwards. Aldo Domeyer won this on Ronnie Sheehan’s 25-1 shot Patrina and he reached his half century when completing a long-priced double on 14-1 shot Boston Celtic for Adam Marcus in the Susan Hudson Handicap.

By Michael Clower

Picture: MJ Byleveld

Kevin Shea has officially hung up his riding boots after both his neurosurgeon and doctor declared him unfit to race ride again due to the effects of wear and tear on his back.

Shea had a glittering 37 year career and will be remembered not only for his brilliance in the saddle but also his colourful personality. Fortunately the latter will not be lost to the industry as he is clearly enjoying his new role as an on course presenter.

He joined the South African Jockeys Academy in 1977 and rode his first winner in 1979 on the Des Rich-trained Druids Robe over 1200m at Greyville.

He was still an apprentice when landing his first Gr 1 winner on the Buller Benton-trained Have A Fling in the Holiday Inns at Turffontein. The horse landed a  betting coup for one of the country’s biggest owners and punters, Cyril Hurvitz.

Shea, due to a pair of the finest hands in the game and peerless big match temperament, was at his best on top horses.

In the 2008 Vodacom Durban July he rode the Justin Snaith-trained Dancer’s Daughter for the first time and this powerful grey filly had over raced in her previous start when winning the Gr 1 Gold Challenge, so many pundits wrote her off, saying that from the wide draw over 2200m she would never settle. However, if anybody was going to be able to settle her it would be Shea and he duly relaxed her beautifully towards the back of the field, which as a handy sort she had never experienced before. She stormed up the straight to dead-heat with the great Pocket Power in one of the big race’s most thrilling finishes.

Shea’s other July win was also aboard a filly, the great Mike de Kock-trained Ipi Tombe, whom he regards as one of the best he has ever ridden.

He holds another De Kock-trained filly, Sun Classique, in equal regard.

Shea always enjoyed plenty of support and was associated with top trainers like Tony Furness, David Payne, Doug Campbell, David Goss, Mike De Kock and Duncan Howells.

However, his best years were undoubtedly with De Kock, and he played a particularly vital role for the master trainer in his overseas campaigns.

His first international Gr 1 win for De Kock was aboard Ipi Tombe in the Dubai Duty Free in 2003. Then in a memorable 2008 the pair combined to win the Gr 1 Dubai Sheema Classic with Sun Classique, the Gr 1 QE II Cup in Hong Kong with Archipenko and the Gr 1 Hong Kong Cup with Eagle Mountain. However, they also suffered one of the most disappointing moments of their respective careers that year when Archipenko was kept in a pocket in the  Gr 1 Arlington Million and denied almost certain victory. Later in 2010, the pair combined to finish second in the world’s richest race, the $US million Dubai World Cup, with the South African-bred Lizard’s Desire, losing in a photo finish that took an age to decide.

Shea had a number of other stakes victories for De Kock overseas, including winning the Gr 2 Al Fahidi Fort five times.

He also rode for De Kock in the UK, which is not always a welcome environment for a foreign jockey. However, his gregarious and likeable personality enabled him to fit in easily and he reveled in the opportunity to experience the many different racecourses and the centuries of tradition behind their races. His most memorable moment over there was aboard Eagle Mountain when breaking the course record on the famous Rowley Mile course at Newmarket in the Gr 2 Joel Stakes over a mile. He also won the Gr 2 Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot on Archipenko. He rode in one of the world’s most famous races, the Ascot Gold Cup, and recalls the immortal four-time winner of this race Yeats running with his head in his chest while he was pushing his mount Thundering Star along to stay in touch coming up the hill from Swinley Bottom.

Shea’s skills were not blunted by age and, already in his fifties, he rode four Gr 1 winners last year, two aboard the Duncan Howells-trained Via Africa, one on the Joey Soma-trained Athina and one on the Howells-trained Same Jurisdiction.

By David Thiselton

Champion trainer Justin Snaith retained the Gr 2 Post Merchants trophy over 1200m at Greyville on Friday night when the small four-year-old Dynasty gelding Daring Dave got up late under Richard Fourie to beat Moofeed and the favourite Willow Magic in a thriller. Snaith won it last year with the filly Varikate.

The race was affected by a false start, which was called when Willow Magic pinged his gate slightly prematurely.

Willow Magic started well second time around but had to be checked just before turning for home, as he was being kept in a pocket behind the leader Sheik’s Brashee by Normanz on his outside. The latter hit the front at the 300m mark, but Willow Magic had recovered quickly and soon powered past him. However, the widely drawn Moofeed had unwound a strong finish from last and mastered Willow Magic just before the line.

But, Daring Dave, had the last say. He had relaxed well in the running in midfield from a good draw and ran on resolutely before bursting between the front two to deny Moofeed by a head. Willow Magic was a further 0,25 lengths back in third. Aurum Pot ran a fine fourth, considering he had travelled the furthest in the false start, and Isphan stayed on well for fifth.

Daring Dave, who started at odds of 11/1, was bred by Highlands Farms Stud and is owned by Hassen Adams in partnership with D Chinsammy and T Chinsammy.

Earlier in the evening the Mike de Kock-trained Muwaary put in a fine trial ahead of races like the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe and Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes when waltzing clear in a Juvenile Plate over 1300m under Anthony Delpech.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Daring Dave (centre) slices through in time to land the Gr2 POST Merchants (Nkosi Hlophe)

If ever a horse deserved a win it is Forward Drive in the Racing. It’s A Rush Maiden Juvenile at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Five weeks ago he was coming with strong run when the leader, Eighth Wonder, swerved right across his path and caused Brandon Morgenrood to check. The momentum was lost and Forward Drive was unable to live up to his name.

Morgenrood promptly called for a race review and trainer Paul Reeves lodged an objection. As the colt only finished third, that looked optimistic – and the stipes ruled that he would not have beaten Eighth Wonder anyway – but had he finished second it just might have been a different story.

“He was unlucky. He got taken out quite badly,” recalls Reeves who is understandably hopeful about gaining compensation and adds encouragingly: “The horse is doing very well.”

Morgenrood was again offered the ride but decided to stay loyal to the Glen Puller-trained Auditorium who went close on debut and is an obvious danger. He was 7-2 favourite in the Betting World forecast yesterday while Forward Drive was an appealing 5-1. However the form of Cavallino (4-1) looks stronger than that of Auditorium and he could be the one for the exacta.

It’s unusual for a two-year-old to be asked to turn out again only a week after its debut but Entrechat ran so well the first time that the attacking policy could pay off in the opening fillies maiden. “We are running her because we saw an opportunity – it’s not one of the strongest fields,” says Justin Snaith. “We will give her a break after this.”

However Happy Avenue looks like posing a major threat, particularly as she is better than last time’s run would suggest. MJ Byleveld’s mount lost ground at the start, was hampered after a furlong and ran her race minus a front shoe. “She pulled it off as she jumped,” relates Vaughan Marshall.

Snaith took all three two-year-old races last Saturday and is bidding to win with at least one juvenile for the eighth consecutive Cape Town meeting. More Than Grand may land the Winter Solstice Maiden for him.

This Australian-bred has a huge home reputation but those who made him favourite in his last two starts are less enamoured. His stable, though, still believe in him – “He is a very nice horse, just immature,” comments his trainer.

Richard Fourie’s mount never really looked like winning when fourth to Lord Marshal and subsequent winner Schachar last time but he can prove too strong for the Langerman-entered Jeremy tomorrow.

With top-rated Jam Tart (16-10 favourite in the forecast) having been off for well over six months, Caprice Des Dieux and Andrew Fortune look the business at 5-2 in the Kenilworth Maiden while Marshall’s Victorious Jay should take the next.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Glen Puller