Hang it in the Louvre! Ryan Moore's Camille Pissarro ride is a masterpiece as he delivers Aidan O'Brien with his second Qatar Prix du Jockey Club
Michael Tabor called Ryan Moore a great jockey but it felt like being in the Louvre and describing Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa as a decent painting.
Tabor, the leading owner, had just seen his orange-and-blue silks carried to success by Aidan O'Brien's Camille Pissarro in the Prix du Jockey Club and the twinkle in his eye immediately made it clear that his verdict about Moore was dripping with understatement.
Camille Pissarro, named after a French impressionist, received a masterpiece of a ride from Moore, the 41-year-old sticking to the rail from his draw in stall one at Chantilly before pouncing with the stealth of a pickpocket as gaps opened.
At the line, he had half-a-length to spare over Andre Fabre's Cualificar, who ran with credit for William Buick, while Detain showed great promise for John and Thady Gosden's Newmarket stable in third.
Once Camille Pissarro had surged to the front, though, there was only going to be one outcome. It was the latest evidence that Moore is the best flat rider in the business. In situations where many could lose their cool, he stays laser focused and the result was a Group One success for the 7-2 favourite and the perfect start to a huge week for the Coolmore operation.
Moore and O'Brien will combine at Epsom on Friday and Saturday with leading chances in both the Oaks and Derby, particularly Delacroix, who is currently the 9-4 market leader and is unbeaten in two runs this season.
'I'm delighted for everybody and Ryan gave him an incredible ride,' said O'Brien. 'He's very exciting and he's a Group One winner at two and now he's a French Derby winner and we all know how important they are.
'Ryan was prepared to wait and had to ride him to try to get the trip, which was an unknown. We thought he was a top-class horse last year and he showed it. Ryan was over the moon when he saw the draw and he gave him a masterclass.'
Moore never accepts any praise in such moments and he was quick to pinpoint the quality of Camille Pissarro, who had warmed up for this contest with an encouraging run in the French 2,000 Guineas, when ridden by Christophe Soumillon and finishing behind his stablemate Henri Matisse.
'It was a very smart performance from a horse who seems to be getting better,' said Moore. 'He's always been highly regarded. I just wasn't getting it quite right on him and Christophe has shown me how to ride him. He recommended this race and it all worked out beautifully.'
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