Ryan Moore is seemingly the British monarch’s jockey of choice and no wonder. The consensus is that the Englishman is the best in the business, a view enhanced by his win at the prestigious Melbourne Cup in November.
However, he is quick to downplay his regular meetings with Queen Elizabeth II, treating her like he would any other owner.
“It’s not really different and it’s very easy to ride for her,” Moore told CNN. “There’s no pressure. She’s just very easy going. Riding for her is a great experience.”
Asked about the accolade of being the world’s most accomplished horseman, Moore brushes it aside.
“I take those sorts of comments with a pinch of salt. I’m just in a position to ride these great horses in these great races and I try to do as well as I can,” he says.
“I don’t know who’s number one, it’s very hard to say. People will forever debate these sorts of things.”
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With royal approval and an increasingly impressive CV, the limelight is inevitably on Moore. In Japan, where he rides for two months of the year for example, he is met at airports and train stations by fans wanting photographs and autographs.
But its not all glitz and glamor.
It is common for him to fly around the world for a solitary race, racing in what is the equivalent of the middle of the night for him before flying straight back home.
At least jet lag doesn’t have a chance to set in …
Now is a rare quiet period of the year for the quiet man of racing. The next big meeting on the agenda is March’s Dubai World Cup. Should Moore be victorious, don’t expect him to celebrate.
