'Ryan was brilliant on her, he didn't panic' - Moore masterclass sees him surpass Dettori after inspired Ribblesdale win

Is there anyone out there selling new superlatives? I've run out of them for Ryan Moore and would love to buy a few new ones to mix it up a bit after he surpassed Frankie Dettori on the Royal Ascot roll of honour with his 82nd winner in the Ribblesdale Stakes.

It was a Moore masterclass on Port Fairy, the sort of ride we take for granted these days, but really shouldn't.

He kept it simple on the 12-1 shot and Cheshire Oaks second, leading the peloton as the runaway leader You Got To Me threatened to scamper into an unassailable lead at various stages.

Moore never let her get away, though, and took aim early in the home straight. Once the pacesetter had been passed, he had to fend off the smooth-travelling Lava Stream and did so by a neck after a gripping final-furlong battle that could have gone either way.

Aidan O'Brien is also running out of superlatives for Moore, but said of his number one edging by Dettori at the royal meeting: "It’s incredible for Ryan to have achieved what he has, and at his age. He must be ten years younger than Frankie [Dettori], is he?

"Ryan was brilliant on her – he didn’t panic even when the second went by. It was class."

Port Fairy and Ryan Moore: Ribblesdale winnersCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The man himself, of course, deflected all the praise on to Port Fairy, complimenting her courage.

Moore said: "It was a good fight. Port Fairy has improved a lot this year. She wouldn't show you a great deal in the mornings, as she is a very relaxed horse. I had a nice run around. She's straightforward, very uncomplicated, and she really tried hard."

Port Fairy had to be tough to get the job done and O'Brien thinks she has the Irish Oaks at the Curragh written all over her, where a clash with Epsom heroine Ezeliya could be on the cards.

This was only her fourth start and we know by now that when fillies like these at Ballydoyle start improving, they rarely stop. She could have a big second half of the season. She has the attitude to go with her ability.

O'Brien said: "We just thought Epsom was going to come too quick for her after Chester, so we gave her a bit of time. Ryan said maybe try a visor on her at home before coming here, so we put a visor on her the last day, and her work really stepped up. She looks like she’d be a lovely Irish Oaks filly now as she stays well."

Lava Stream exploded down the outside and poked her head past Port Fairy inside the final furlong, but couldn't stay there. Her trainer David O’Meara said: “I was delighted with that. She travelled so nice. Danny thought that maybe she idled a touch. He might have preferred to have had the winner in his sights rather than arriving there as soon as he did, but we were surprised at how well she travelled. She is a very exciting filly."

On future plans, he added: "I don’t know. I wasn’t sure about the mile and a half, so there was an option of dropping back to the Nassau, but she’s seen that out well, so it looks like a mile and a half will be perfect for her. We always hoped that she was capable of winning a black-type race, but she’s probably exceeding our expectations."

Port Fairy holds off Lava StreamCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The sustained support for Kalpana into 9-4 favourite proved wide of the mark as she finished third. Her jockey Oisin Murphy said: “Kalpana ran another career best. She got the mile and a half well. It was a good, even tempo, a proper stamina test. Well done to Ryan and the Ballydoyle team."

Godolphin's Diamond Rain lost her unbeaten record having pulled too hard early and trailed in last of the 12 runners. But this was Port Fairy's day, benefitting from yet another Moore masterclass.

Read this next:

Ryan Moore surpasses Frankie Dettori to become the winningmost active rider at Royal Ascot 

'Ryan was masterful' - Kyprios is king of the stayers again as he regains his Gold Cup crown 

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