Gold Cup day double takes Ryan Moore past Frankie Dettori to become most successful active rider at Royal Ascot

Ryan Moore has surpassed Frankie Dettori to become the most successful active rider at Royal Ascot, trailing only Lester Piggott in the all-time standings.

With Dettori absent after departing British racing to continue his career in the US, Moore looked certain to move past Dettori's record of 81 during the week.

He duly equalled his longtime rival when winning the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes on Auguste Rodin on Wednesday before recording his historic 82nd victory on Port Fairy, also trained by Aidan O'Brien, in the Ribblesdale Stakes and then making it 83 when Kyprios retained his crown in the Gold Cup. Piggott rode 116 winners at the royal meeting.

Moore said afterwards: "I'm very fortunate. I've spent a long time riding for the best people. You are only riding those winners because of everyone else. I'm very lucky."

O'Brien said: “It’s incredible for Ryan to have achieved what he has, and at his age, given he's 13 years younger than Frankie." 

Moore had to wait two years after securing his first jockeys' championship in 2006 to get on the board at Royal Ascot, courtesy of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Colony in the 2008 King George V Handicap.

Ryan Moore: trails only Lester Piggott in the all-time standingsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Another five years passed before he captured his first Group 1 at the royal meeting. However, it was well worth the wait as he again teamed up with Stoute to provide Queen Elizabeth II with her first Gold Cup, riding a memorable finish on Estimate.

Royal Ascot has proved an auspicious occasion for Moore as he has now recorded 16 more Group 1 wins there. Among those were three more Gold Cups aboard Order Of St George and Kyprios for O’Brien.

At the start of the week, the three-time British champion jockey was a best-priced 4-7 to make it three consecutive titles at Royal Ascot and he is all but certain to leave as top rider on Saturday evening. He has secured the title ten times, seven of them coming between 2010 and 2018, and set a new post-war record when riding nine winners in 2015.

Ascot Racecourse Supports vowed to donate £5,000 to Retraining of Racehorses, a charity supporting the welfare of retired racehorses, for every race won by Moore this week.

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