Oisin Murphy returned to racing after his recent drink-driving conviction but failed to secure a victory. The reigning Flat champion jockey, along with four other top riders, was outshone by Ryan Moore's split-second decision-making aboard Delacroix, the 3-1 second-favourite, in the Group One Eclipse Stakes.
Moore later explained that he had considered multiple strategies during the 10-furlong race. Delacroix initially lagged behind, trailing at long odds, as Camille Pissarro, a stablemate from Aidan O’Brien’s yard, overtook him, boxing Moore in. With a quarter-mile remaining, Moore faced two unappealing choices: wait for an opening or swing wide and lose crucial momentum. He chose the latter, launching Delacroix down the outside while still trailing Ombudsman, the 6-4 favourite, by several lengths under William Buick’s ride.
Despite being the only runner without a prior Group One win, Delacroix surged ahead on the uphill stretch, narrowing the gap relentlessly. Moore admitted he wasn’t certain of victory until the final 100 yards, but Delacroix took the lead three strides before the finish, winning by a neck.
“I initially planned to push forward, but when others had the same idea, I held back,” Moore told Racing TV. “I didn’t want to use up too much energy early. I waited for Camille [Pissarro] to move, giving Delacroix the final chance. His finishing speed was exceptional, especially at Sandown. That’s what won it for him.”
Delacroix had been the beaten favourite behind another O’Brien-trained horse, Lambourn, in last month’s Derby. His future races are likely to remain at or under 10 furlongs, with odds of 9-2 for the International Stakes at York next month.
Murphy finished third aboard Ruling Court in the feature race and had no wins from five rides, including a narrow second on Jupiter Ammon in a handicap event.
Elsewhere, Colin Keane secured victory in the Listed Coral Distaff with a perfectly timed ride on Andrew Balding’s Blue Bolt. However, Keane may miss riding Field Of Gold in the Group One Sussex Stakes due to a potential whip violation from a previous race. He appeared to strike Wind eight times.
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