Lake Victoria and Wayne Lordan© Photo Healy Racing
Jockey Wayne Lordan registered a first Group 1 success in four years today steering Aidan O'Brien's Lake Victoria to land the Curragh's Moyglare Stud Stakes, at the course where he sustained serious injuries last year.
Lordan, with two English Classic wins and a Breeders Cup success in 2019, sustained fractures to his legs and elbow along with a nasty arm laceration in a fall in last year's Derby at the Kildare course and, having returned in February, today registered a first top-level success since July 2020.
Four of the five runners for today's eagerly-anticipated race were by top stallion Frankel and while Lake Victoria was undefeated in two runs, was third favourite at 11/2, behind stablemate Bedtime Story at 4/5f.
Lordan, who frustrating finished a neck-second on Illinois in yesterday's English St Leger, produced Lake Victoria from last to lead inside the final furlong, beating Simmering by 1.25 lengths, with impressive Royal Ascot winner Bedtime Story finishing last.
Trainer O'Brien revealed “we thought that she would finish second to the other filly (Bedtime Story) but Ryan's filly hit the gates and he couldn't get her back, and that was it. When that happens it's usually over.
“Lake Victoria is a very good filly though and went to Newmarket where she won very impressively. She's a very classy filly and is very fast. The plan was to take our time, let her relax and we didn't want to give her a tough race. Wayne gave her a brilliant ride.
“She's by Frankel but she's made like a sprinter and we ran her here with the thought in our heads that she could be a Cheveley Park filly.”
He added “I'm delighted for Wayne. He's a great fella and he does a lot of work, day in day out, at home. He's a great rider, we're so lucky to have him here after what happened in the Irish Derby and he went through a tough time for four or five months, so nobody deserves it more. He's a great world class rider.”
Regarding Bedtime Story he expanded “she'll be grand, she's a little bit like her sister (Content) and we'll just go gently and slow her down a little bit.
“We'll work another way out just to get her to go to sleep again. Wayne rides her out the whole time and he will do that.
Quotes from Gary Carson
