Moore's mile is a Masterful one at Goodwood

Modest Ryan Moore admitted he needed a bit of luck to land the £150,000 Betfred Mile to complete a superb treble as the Glorious Goodwood crowd enjoyed its best day so far.
Master of the World wins the Betfred Mile / Picture by Malcolm WellsMaster of the World wins the Betfred Mile / Picture by Malcolm Wells
Master of the World wins the Betfred Mile / Picture by Malcolm Wells

Master Of The World went one place better this year in the feature handicap, having finished second in 2016. Sent off the 6/1 second favourite, he won by three quarters of a length from Tony Curtis under Moore, who had also won the day's first two races.

Winning trainer David Elsworth said: "Yes, I think if I were speaking on behalf of the horse, I wouldn't even talk to you! People talk about stats, but he's won three races out of I don't know how many races (40), and he's been beaten noses and short-heads in race such as the Cambridgeshire and in this race last year.

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"He's won a lot of money and beaten a lot of horses to do it. He's been in wonderful form and we hoped he could win. You need a bit of luck in a race like this - and it transpired it went our way for a change! He's got tons of ability, he really has, horse-racing is a very complex and difficult thing to understand, and I don't really understand it and have been doing it for a few years now!

"He has considerable ability, he is Group Three class or even a Group Two horse, but when you get these handicaps, old professionals, and they duck and dive, it is hard work out there. People don't understand they are running as fast as hard as they can and it hurts sometimes and they get stopped, and they get disenchanted and things. It is nice he had his day in the sun."

When asked about Moore, Elsworth said: "Ryan's the man you want in your corner, I feel sorry for Pat Dobbs, who rode him last year and would have ridden him, but is unfortunately suspended so we had to make do with Ryan!"

Chris Benham, part-owner, said: "We are part-time racehorse owners and we own a construction company. Master Of The World has been so unlucky. Our company is called HG Construction and sometime we say it's 'Have a Go', well, Master Of The World always has a go. Today he was lucky, but he had Ryan Moore on board, who absolutely is the best.

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"But we are delighted. Kevin [Quinn] and I have owned him for a long time and we love him. We are totally committed to this sport and we love the enjoyment, but it is lovely to win."

The excitement hasn't ended yet at the Qatar Glorious Goodwood meeting for the Benham and Quinn - they have Sir Dancealot running in tomorrow's £250,000 Qatar Stewards' Cup.

Moore, who held up his mount, did not get the clearest of runs before the straight and dropped back but retained his cool and found a way through bang on the crowded far rail to gain the upper hand well inside the final furlong to triumph by three quarters of a length from Tony Cutis who mugged Birchwood for second by a short-head.

Moore commented: "You need a bit of luck. Master The World actually jumped out very well and I was in a lovely spot three back on the fence, but the pace was slow and, after going 300 metres, the race started going and got very rough. It was not a nice race from the six down to the four.

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"Because they were getting away from him, he hit a flat spot when we turned in but once he passed one, he started to go and won well. He stopped when he got there and had to go again.

"The trainer deserves all credit. He is a brilliant trainer and really fancied him today. It is a good performance to get the horse here. He was second last year and he has brought him back again. Fair play to him."