Betfair ambassador Ryan Moore rides Mother Earth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot - get all his thoughts on his Friday rides.
FRIDAY RIDES
14:30 Prettiest
I obviously wasn’t on board but this beautifully-bred filly – she is by Dubawi out of our three-time Group 1 winner Alice Springs – but I thought she looked very professional when making all at Navan. The second had shaped well when just touched off at Naas, and the third had shown decent form, too. Too. It will be different conditions here and a much steeper test obviously, but she looks a very promising filly and I am really looking forward to riding her.
15:05 The Mediterranean
He was very willing and found plenty for me when beating a fair sort in his maiden and improved markedly when second in Listed company next time. He is an improving colt and I can see this test suiting him, though a lot of rain, as is forecast for Friday, would probably not be ideal.
15:40 Lipizanner
He obviously wasn’t at his best at Naas last time and needs to improve to get competitive here but he ran well when fourth in the Norfolk last season, is ground-versatile and has an outside each way chance. And hopefully the first-time blinkers will sharpen him up.
16:20 Mother Earth
This looks a good Coronation Stakes but I think Mother Earth deserves to be favourite. She was a filly I always rated at two, and I wasn’t in the least bit surprised that she was good enough to win the Guineas on her return as she was the form filly going into the race on her Group 1 efforts at two. And she probably ran equally as well in deep ground when second in France last time. I think ideally she would prefer decent ground, but she handles anything. This clearly is a pretty deep race though, with the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine and Fillies’ Mile scorer Pretty Gorgeous two of many serious dangers and then we have improvers like Primo Bacio and Potopova, too. But I think Mother Earth just about sets the standard coming in here.
17:00 Friendly
She went into the Irish 1000 Guineas rated just 81 but she ran out of her skin to finish sixth there, and she may well have been disadvantaged a bit by racing up the inside there, too. It was no surprise to see the handicapper get to work but I think a revised mark of 102 is okay given the way she shaped in a Classic. That came on heavy and she has form on good too, and I can see her going well here.
17:35 Tritonic
He is a good horse on his day. He chased home Subjectivist at Hamilton last season and he finished a fair second for me at Yarmouth off this mark last September. He isn’t obviously well handicapped but he shaped okay over 1m2f at Chelmsford last time, the step back up in trip will suit, he handles any ground and he ran a great race when second at this meeting last year. He has a solid chance.
