Legatissimo completes Guineas double for Ryan Moore
Twenty four hours after gaining his first 2000 Guineas on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Gleneagles in the same colours, the 31-year-old stole the show again with a power-packed ride aboard the 13-2 shot, this time for David Wachman.
In doing so, Moore became the first rider since Kieren Fallon in 2005 to do the big-race double on Guineas weekend.
With his original mount and ante-post favourite Found an absentee at the declaration stage, it looked as if Moore’s chances of landing a second winner of the mile fillies’ Classic after Homecoming Queen in 2012 had been significantly reduced.
However, he found a more than suitable substitute with the engine and heart of a champion.
Last at halfway, Moore bided his time waiting for the right moment to make his move, as Tiggy Wiggy and Redstart cut out the running.
Redstart gave way, but Tiggy Wiggy continued to gallop on resolutely in front, although it was not long before the Jim Bolger-trained Lucida powered past in a move which looked to have put the race to bed.
With Moore now in full flow, Wachman’s filly, who only won a Listed heat at Gowran Park seven days ago, started to reel in the 9-2 favourite, and soon enough her stamina saw her move into a lead she was not to give up.
Lucida battled back but it was not to be, as she went down fighting by three-quarters of a length, with Tiggy Wiggy another four and a half lengths back in third, gifting the Irish handler his first English Classic success.
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.”
