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A masterpiece can never be rushed; just ask Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.

Moore bided his time on favourite Camille Pissarro in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, waiting and waiting for the gap he needed to appear.

It appeared at times as if it never would, with Camille Pissarro tight to the rail throughout the classic in Chantilly.

But then with 200m to go, it did, and Moore did not hesitate in seizing his chance to pull past Trinity College and power to victory for O’Brien.

It was the perfect finishing touches to an enthralling encounter that ended with O’Brien taking a second French Derby winner back home to Ballydoyle.

 

 

 

 

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“With 18 runners you are always going to need a degree of luck, but it was actually a very smooth race,” said Moore.

“We got well spread out and we were kind of single file. I didn’t want to come out too early and I knew I would have to hope a little bit of luck, but because he has so much speed and can quicken, he is able to find a way through.

“Aidan has always had a lot of belief in this horse. For him to get him here to win a [Prix du] Jockey Club, it’s a tremendous performance by him and the team.

“He is a big strong horse. He has always shown plenty. Aidan has got him to improve and hopefully he is still improving.”

While masterpieces often take years of meticulous planning and preparation, there is room too for the odd last-minute decision, if you have the right instinct.

O’Brien has shown he has plenty of that and was rewarded for choosing to send his exciting three-year-old to Chantilly on the advice of jockey Christophe Soumillon.

“I’m delighted for everybody. I am delighted for the lads, Ryan gave him an incredible ride,” said O’Brien.
“Christophe was delighted with him the last day and he said to come here with him.

“He is a very classy horse; he is a Group 1 winner. Arc day last year he was very impressive when Christophe rode him, then he had a great run in the [French 2000] Guineas behind Henri [Matisse], then to come back and do this is incredible.

“This is a difficult race to win. You need a horse with a lot of speed, and you have to get him on the quarter as well.

“It is a very important race, and it makes him a very important horse now. He is the perfect big powerful black horse by Wootton Bassett.

“Around here it is very difficult when you are wide. If you have a draw and you have class like he has, Ryan was prepared to wait, there was no rush. I don’t think he could have waited any longer.”