Revered as elite international performers, Ryan Moore and James McDonald both believe Wellington is the measuring stick in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot on Saturday (24 June) when the champion jockeys continue a compelling rivalry.
Moore, who is bidding for a 10th top jockey award at Royal Ascot and is a triple winner of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey title, will partner Wellington, while McDonald – the reigning LONGINES World’s Best jockey – will ride Australian sprinter Artorius.
McDonald is familiar with Wellington’s form, having ridden against Richard Gibson’s star on four occasions this season. Most significantly, McDonald watched Wellington sweep to G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) victory under Moore on 11 December before the Kiwi won the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) aboard Lucky Sweynesse on 19 March, when Wellington was third.
“Wellington looks very tough. We all know how good Lucky Sweynesse is – he’s the best-rated sprinter in the world – and Wellington is only two lengths off that, so he’s going to be awfully hard to beat,” McDonald said.
“Artorius is a good horse, though. There’s not much between them.”
Artorius dead-heated for third in last season’s G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (1200m) before returning to Australia and claiming the G1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) under Zac Purton on 4 March.
Moore, who slotted a treble on Royal Ascot’s opening day (Tuesday, 20 June), is chasing a fourth win in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, which been renamed several times and was most recently known as the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.
The Englishman first tasted success in the feature atop Twilight Son – who beat Gibson-trained Gold-Fun by a neck in 2016 – and subsequently aboard Merchant Navy (2018) and Dream of Dreams (2021).
A supreme tactician and canny judge of form, Moore says Wellington is “probably the one to beat.”
“He’s kind of been underrated coming in here, I think he probably brings the best form into the race really. I think the track will suit him. I think the straight six (furlongs) will be in his favour. Obviously, we don’t know the draw yet, that will sort itself out later in the week.
“I think if he brings his December form, he’s probably the one to beat. Highfield Princess is a good filly, if she backs up, and Artorius has been going better in Australia this year – he was obviously a bit unlucky in the race last year.
“But if he ran in a (LONGINES) Hong Kong Sprint, you wouldn’t be fancying him to win one, I don’t think, but he’s obviously going to be very well suited to a straight track here.
“If Wellington brings his absolute best, he’s probably the best horse in the race.”
Wellington will attempt to become Hong Kong’s first Royal Ascot winner since Little Bridge’s 2012 triumph in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) for Danny Shum and Zac Purton.
By Leo Schlink, HKJC
