Racing

Legatissimo makes it an Irish-trained double in English Guineas

Jockey Ryan Moore lands Classic double on David Wachman’s talented filly

Ryan Moore rides Legatissimo (centre, orange and blue cap) to win The Qipco 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket. Photo: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
Ryan Moore rides Legatissimo (centre, orange and blue cap) to win The Qipco 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket. Photo: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
Sun May 03 2015 - 16:30

Irish-trained horses completed an English Guineas double as jockey Ryan Moore completed a double of his own with a powerful late surge on David Wachman's Legatissimo to win the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Last at halfway, Moore – successful in the same colours on Aidan O’Brien’s Gleneagles 24 hours earlier – bided his time waiting for the right moment to make his move, but it was a fine line as the favourite Lucida went for home.

Jim Bolger’s Lucida shot clear and looked to have put the race to bed, but Legatissimo was really beginning to lengthen.

With Moore in full flow, Wachman’s filly showed the benefit of her stamina, having won over an extended nine furlongs just a week ago.

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Lucida tried in vain to battle back but went down by three-quarters of a length.

Tiggy Wiggy made a bold bid from the front and clung on for third, just ahead of Malabar.

Tipperary trainer Wachman said: “She’s a lovely filly, a big, scopey filly, and Ryan gave her a great ride.

“Over the winter she showed me she could be classy, but we went to Leopardstown early this season and she was beaten in soft ground and we were scratching our heads a bit.

“She won very well in Gowran last week, it was like a bit of work – we were taking a chance coming here so soon, but it worked.

“I knew that if it didn’t come too quick we definitely had a chance.

“She’ll definitely get further, so we’ll have plenty of options.”

Part-owner Michael Tabor said: "It's hard to believe, to win the first two Classics of the year – it's what you dream about.

“I was joking with Ryan yesterday saying I’d never done the double and I said ‘perhaps it will happen’ but never really thinking it would.

“She only ran a week ago and David said she’d run well as long as we weren’t running her back too quick.

“If David has the right animal then he produces.”

Moore said: “Things happened nicely, she switched off well and we got a nice tow into the race.

“It’s the first time I’ve sat on her, but she’s obviously got plenty of ability, the second is a fair filly and she has run her down real well in the end.

“They went a proper gallop, she’s got plenty of speed but she really got up the hill well.

“I wouldn’t be sure about a mile and a half, but I think she’ll go further.”