Ryan Moore shines riding Vela Azul to claim victory in Japan

Ryan Moore was at his best aboard Vela Azul as he defied traffic problems to claim the Japan Cup for the second time in Tokyo. The 7/2 third-favorite was stuck at an impossible spot with two furlongs remaining, but Ryan Moore conjured some magic riding the five-year-old to claim his position at the front. His mount was up for the challenge once before storming clear of the bookies’ favorite Shahryar, ridden by Cristian Demuro, at the closing stages.

Moore, who previously won the prize with Gentildonna in 2013, was riding for the Japan Cup champion Kunihiko Watanabe for the first time at the one-and-a-half-mile showpiece. Vera Azul has risen rapidly through the ranks for the owner since switching to turf. Coming to Tokyo riding in his grade two victory at Hanshin, he has proven he’s equal to the test of the richest race in Japan and is now among the bookies’ favorites for upcoming tests. Fortunately, you can shop for odds on the best betting sites ahead of races.

In a press release, the winning trainer admitted that while the pace was slow, the horse put in a good late charge to record a great run. The trainer also revealed the horse was in great condition heading into the race, but he exceeded everyone’s expectations. He’s a five-year-old horse, and he keeps getting better by the day. The trainer also believes he can still improve his performance.

According to the trainer, the team chose to race him on dirt during the early days because his legs had fractures while he was a young colt. As such, racing on dirt exposed him to less risk. However, the coach believed he had the amplitude to race on turf, but the timing was important before starting to race him on the turf.

Ryan Moore further added he was quite lucky to ride the talented horse, and the pace was steady for this tournament. According to Moore, the horse has never had so much space, but he managed to quicken up so well when he got the space, and that was quite impressive.

Fellow British horse rider Tom Marquand came fourth riding Daring Tact, while the French-trained duo of Oneston and Grand Glory were among the best in a small group of European horses. Grand Glory came in sixth, while Onesto came in seventh.

Category: International