Arizona Ready For Big Season Says Moore

Arizona

Ballydoyle first string rider Ryan Moore has stated that the team have big plans for Arizona this season and are expecting the son of No Nay Never to eclipse what he did as a two year old.

Arizona was raced frequently last season which was a strange decision from the trainer with normally his best runners only being used in specific big races throughout the season.

The youngster had some great days however, last term, scoring at Royal Ascot on just her third start in the Group Two Coventry Stakes and also finishing a narrow second to Pinatubo in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

He finished off his season with a fair fifth over in America at Santa Anita in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf but this season he will be looking to establish himself as a true Group One winner.

Aidan O'Brien has pointed him out as his three year old to follow from his yard and he will be heading for the 2000 Guineas when it is rescheduled hopefully later on in the season.

(Credit Racing Post) Moore agrees with his retained handler and added: "I felt Arizona was going to get better and he ran a mighty race in the Dewhurst.

"Santa Anita was just too sharp for him and he just didn't have the skillset that was needed for round there at that stage.

"But I was looking forward to him as a Guineas horse. There were a couple of standout horses and he'd have to be stepping up to be beating them, the likes of Pinatubo and Victor Ludorum. But it's a new year and they change from two to three and I felt he was a horse that would have carried on improving."

The esteemed British Rider has not been able to ride out on any of the Ballydoyle runners for the season with the current travel restrictions prohibiting him from going over to Ireland.

However, he knows a fair bit about Arizona and said: "He's a big scopey horse and you'd have thought he would have improved from two to three.

"It was disappointing that he didn't run a bit better but he impressed me when I rode him a couple of times and the size he is you'd have thought there would be more to come from him. I thought he had the physique and the scope and the ability to make into a proper Classic horse."