Gulf Express motors to win

The jockey Ryan Moore scooped the first two races at a windswept Goodwood, although both rides were not without incident.

The Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail had a flying start to Glorious Goodwood when his horse Gulf Express, ridden by Ryan Moore, in the yellow cap with the blue spots, won the first race of the famous meeting.Show less

GOODWOOD // The jockey Ryan Moore, who rode Linngari at Nad Al Sheba earlier this year scooped the first two races at a windswept Goodwood yesterday, although both rides were not without incident. In the first race of the day he partnered Gulf Express to a last-to-first success. He waited patiently at the back of thefield, and put in a beautiful ride to get his mount into a favourable position at half-way.

As Gulf Express motored down the middle of the track he hampered Pinpoint, who finished second, although the result remained unaltered after a steward'sinquiry. "As soon as my horse hit the front, he went right and I had my stick in my right hand," he said. "I couldn't really stop riding because he might have tried to pull up." Moore, who had a baby son, Toby, on Monday, had similar issues with his whip aboard Conduit in the Group 2 Gordon Stakes, a traditional trial for the St Leger in September.

Conduit came to challenge long-time race leader Donegal on the left-hand side, but Moore, once again, had his stick in the wrong hand. He quickly transferred it to his right hand, sat deep in the saddle, and pushed out his mount for the line to win by a head. Peter Reynolds, spokeman for owners Ballymacoll Stud, did not want to commit the horse to the St Leger. "It's a question of waiting. It's a long time until the Leger," he said.

"Let's say, that between Paktai, Tartan Bearer and Conduit, we'll have a runner." @Email:[e-mail]