Ryan Moore is set to ride Bondi Beach for the first time when the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt lines up in next Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
Bondi Beach is currently a 10-1 third favourite for the “Race that stops a Nation” at Flemington in the early hours of Tuesday morning when he will attempt to improve on his 16th placed behind Prince Of Penzance last year.
He was ridden on that occasion by the local jockey Brett Prebble and on Bondi Beach's last start, when third to Zhukova at Leopardstown over "Irish Champions Weekend", Emmet McNamara did the steering.
Remarkably Ballydoyle's number one jockey has never ridden the Lloyd Williams owned colt in any of his ten career starts to date but the Englishman – a Cup winner on Protectionist in 2014 – has been confirmed as Bondi Beach's jockey this time.
“Ryan Moore will be flying in to ride him and his form this year has been very good,” part-owner Nick Williams reported. “Bondi Beach has arrived in Australia and is in great order. Aidan O’Brien is the best trainer in the world and there are no negatives.”
Champion Jockey
Pat Smullen
will be crowned Ireland’s champion jockey for the ninth time when the Irish turf season winds up at Leopardstown on Saturday. His haul of 112 winners to date is his best ever in Ireland and Smullen may have to choose between Radanpour and last year’s winner Silver Concorde for this weekend’s €100,000 Tote November Handicap.
Silver Concorde is 8lbs higher on official ratings compared to when he won the two-mile event under Leigh Roche in 2015 but that pales next to the 17lbs hike that Willie Mullins’s Renneti has to cope with after his recent 14-length romp at Naas.
Another likely contender for Smullen could be Rose de Pierre who lost her unbeaten record behind Intimation in the Garnet Stakes last time but is one of 19 still in contention for the Knockaire Stakes.
The Dandy Nichols-trained Sovereign Debt won the seven-furlong event a year ago and the veteran could be back to defend after winning smoothly at Doncaster last Saturday.
