Three of the best: looking back at Jamie Moore's finest moments in the saddle

Jamie Moore can reflect on many big days during his 23 seasons in the saddle, with Scottish and Welsh National successes, seven Grade 1 victories and a hatful of major handicap successes. Never less than fully committed, this is our selection of three victories which exemplified Moore at his best.

Sire De Grugy in the 2014 Champion Chase, Cheltenham

Sire De Grugy compiled a flawless record across the top two-mile races in the 2013-14 season, and when asked Gary Moore struggled to separate a favourite moment among the many highlights of that wonderful campaign.

But for the way he handled the enormous pressure of the occasion, and for the confidence with which he rode him, Jamie Moore's steer in the Champion Chase – for what would be his only Cheltenham Festival victory – has to be first among equals. 

Showing great belief that he was on the best horse in the race, Moore slipped up the inside of a tiring Special Tiara and then angled out between Somersby and Sizing Europe, without ever really going for broke until after the last. 

Dunbrody Millar in the 2007 Topham Trophy, Aintree

There will have been horses with more scope than Dunbrody Millar to win over the Grand National fences, but not many will have had the heart and agility of Peter Bowen's chaser. 

Having been fourth in the 2006 Topham when Moore was a late injury replacement, the pair were reunited 12 months later as Tom O'Brien chose to ride Iron Man. 

Largely campaigned over three miles and further, Dunbrody Millar was always going just a stride quicker than he was used to over the 2m5f trip, but Moore kept the revs up before booting his partner into a lead at the second-last which he would never relinquish. 

Mountainous in the January 2016 Welsh Grand National

Mountainous had failed to win in the two years since his first success in the Welsh National under Paul Moloney in 2013, and had been pulled up in the 2014 edition of the marathon contest.

Jamie Moore after winning the Welsh National on MountainousCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Moore was entrusted with getting the Kerry Lee-trained stayer into a good jumping rhythm and, with saving energy the main item on the agenda, the pair crept gradually into contention on the final circuit. 

Arguably this was a victory made even more famous for the mud-caked pictures of Moore afterwards, but it should not be underestimated what a feat of horsemanship it took to hold Mountainous together in what were, even by Chepstow standards, ultra-attritional conditions. 

Read these next:

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Gary Moore: 'Jamie's come out in one piece, which is more important than riding a thousand winners'  

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