Roger Teal has made the “very difficult decision” to give Ryan Moore the ride aboard Dancing Gemini in the Boylesports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
The Camelot colt has made a flying start to his campaign, with a runaway comeback victory in the Doncaster Mile under Kieran Shoemark followed by another impressive success in the bet365 Mile at Sandown in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
Both riders were seemingly available for this weekend’s Group One feature, but after lengthy talks with owner David Fish, Teal confirmed Moore will take over in the saddle for the first time.
Speaking at Chepstow on Tuesday, the trainer told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s been a very difficult decision, we’ve pondered all week. The discussions me and David have had have lasted an hour a day for the last four or five days.
“It’s been very hard, but we came to that decision – when you get offered Ryan Moore, it’s very, very hard to say no.
“No disrespect to Kieran or Rossa, there’ll be other days for those guys and it hasn’t been easy – it’s probably been more stressful than training the horse.
“He (Moore) has ridden for us several times and we’ve got a good strike-rate together. I go back a long way with Ryan, from when he was in Brighton with his dad. We’re just doing what we think’s best.”
The Lambourn-based trainer is unconcerned about the prospect of running on a quick surface at Newbury, adding: “I don’t think he’s ground dependent. He had to handle softer ground because that’s all he had last year with that wet summer, so he got labelled a soft ground horse.
“It will be interesting, but it was decent ground at Doncaster and OK it was patchy ground at Sandown last time, but the straight was good ground and he handled that.
“He’s got a very low action, so I’d be surprised if he didn’t go on it.”
Teal is bidding to secure his third Group One success after former star sprinter Oxted landed the 2020 July Cup at Newmarket and the 2021 King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.
He said: “We’re just doing what we can do and it is difficult when you’re up against the powerhouses.
“I don’t know if someone up there is looking after me and tossing me a gold coin every now and then. We just do the best with what we can, we’ve dined on the big table a few times and it’s a nice place to be – there’s better steaks on that table!”
By PA Sport Reporters
