Ryan Moore is widely recognised as one of the best flat jockeys on the planet. The Englishman made his racing debut in 2004 and quickly cemented his place among the sport’s elite riders. He’s been winning major racing titles for years, including the 2014 Melbourne Cup. Read on to discover more about Moore’s racing career and his record in the Melbourne Cup.
Ryan Moore Key Info
Age: 41
Nationality: British
Career Prize Money: $51,500,000
Melbourne Cup Debut: 2012
Melbourne Cup Appearances: 8
Melbourne Cup Wins: 1 (2014)
Ryan Moore Full Jockey Profile
Ryan Moore was born into a racing family in 1983. He’s the son of racing trainer Gary Moore and brother to jump jockeys Josh and Jamie Moore.After debuting in 2004, he quickly made his mark on the racing scene, becoming champion jockey in Britain in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Following his early success, Moore moved to Ireland to become a retained jockey for the powerful Ballymoore yard. This relationship with trainer Aidan O’Brien has produced countless Group 1 winners. Despite the apparent yard rivalries, Moore is occasionally booked by Juddmonte, Godolphin and other top operations at the major festivals.
Moore has now ridden over 200 Group 1 winners and has the most British Group & Listed victories of any active jockey. His impressive record means trainers trust him to ride some of the world’s best flat horses. City Of Troy is the most recent example. Moore easily handled the massive hype around the horse, guiding him to back-to-back Guineas wins in 2023 and 2024.
Moore has won just about every significant race in England. His domestic achievements include 6 Guineas wins, 4 Derby wins, and 4 Oaks wins. His international racing record is just as impressive. Moore has also won both the Japan Cup and the Arc de Triomphe twice, as well as several Breeders’ Cup races and one Melbourne Cup.
Ryan Moore Melbourne Cup Record
Ryan Moore made his Melbourne Cup debut in 2012, riding Mount Athos for trainer Luca Cumani. The Englishman has managed just a single Melbourne Cup victory to this point. That’s not unusual, given how tough it is to win the big race at Flemington. The table below lists each Melbourne Cup horse he’s ridden in his career.
| Melbourne Cup Year | Horse | Trainer | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Vauban | Willie Mullins | 14th |
| 2019 | Magic Wand | Aiden O’Brien | 10th |
| 2018 | The Cliffsofmoher | Aiden O’Brien | DNF |
| 2016 | Bondi Beach | Aiden O’Brien | 13th |
| 2015 | Snow Sky | Sir Michael Stoute | 23rd |
| 2014 | Protectionist | Andreas Wöhler | 1st |
| 2013 | Dandino | Marco Botti | 5th |
| 2012 | Mount Athos | Luca Cumani | 7th |
Ryan Moore Melbourne Cup Wins
Ryan Moore has one Melbourne Cup victory to his name. The table below features more details about his is winning effort on Protectionist in 2014. Moore has a solid chance of claiming his second win in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, as he’s likely to ride Vauban, who’s one of the betting favourites.
| Winning Year | Trainer | Horse | Weight (Kg) | Barrier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Andreas Wöhler | Protectionist | 56.5 | 11 |
Before the 2014 Melbourne Cup, Ryan Moore had performed relatively well in the ‘race that stops a nation’, guiding his runners to respectable 7th and 5th place finishes. German trainer Andreas Wohler asked Moore to ride Protectionist in the 2014 race.
Protectionist was by Monsun, a top stayer who also sired 2013 Cup winner Fiorente. The team brought Protectionist to Australia for the Spring Carnival in 2014, first running him in the Herbert Power Stakes. Protectionist finished fourth and became an early favourite for the Melbourne Cup.
Though Craig Williams had ridden Protectionist in the Herbert Power, Moore took over riding duties for the Cup. Moore came to the meeting in fine form, having won the Cox Plate ten days prior. Under a terrific ride by Moore, Protectionist won impressively, beating three-time Cup runner-up Red Caudeaux. The German-trained horse Cup winning time was the fastest since Media Puzzle in 2002.
Ryan Moore Other Notable Wins
The fact that Moore has won major races in the USA, UAE, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Canada, Britain and Australia shows he can do it anytime, anywhere. We’ve detailed the most notable victories of his tremendous career in the table below.
| Year | Race | Horse | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Epsom Derby | Auguste Rodin | Epsom |
| 2023 | Epsom Derby | City Of Troy | Epsom |
| 2022 | Japan Cup | Vela Azul | Tokyo |
| 2016 | Arc de Triomphe | Found | Longchamp |
| 2016 | KG VI & QE Stakes | Highland Reel | Ascot |
| 2013 | Japan Cup | Gentildonna | Tokyo |
| 2013 | Epsom Derby | Ruler of the World | Epsom |
| 2010 | Epsom Derby | Workforce | Epsom |
| 2010 | Arc de Triomphe | Workforce | Longchamp |
| 2009 | KG VI & QE Stakes | Conduit | Ascot |
Ryan Moore Jockey FAQs
Ryan Moore is likely to ride one of the betting favourites, Vauban in the 2024 Melbourne Cup. He rode the same horse last year, but only managed to come home in 14th.
Yes, Ryan Moore won the 2014 Melbourne Cup. He rode the German-trained Protectionist to a superb victory at Flemington.
Ryan Moore made his Melbourne Cup debut in 2012. Moore rode the Luca Cumani trained, Mount Athos, to a respectable 7th place finish.
Ryan Moore born on 18th September 1983, making him 41 years old.
Ryan Moore is married to Michelle Saunders. Moore keeps his family life relatively private, but it’s understood the couple have four children.
Given his status as an elite jockey, Moore rides horses for several owners and trainers. However, he is a retained jockey for Aiden O’Brien’s Ballymoore yard, meaning he rides most frequently for the powerhouse Irish trainer. Moore has ridden multiple horses owned by the Royal Family, and he was often seen talking with Queen Elizabeth II when she attended a meeting.
