Haydock to New York to Haydock: Ben Curtis seeks first US win on fleeting visit

From Haydock to New York then back to Haydock – that is the forthcoming demanding schedule for jockey Ben Curtis as he bids for a first winner in the US on Friday.

Curtis will be reacquainted with the classy Mootasadir in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes, who is unbeaten in six outings on the all-weather and seeks a first turf success in a race won last year by the William Haggas-trained Call To Mind.

Curtis enjoyed Listed success aboard Mootasadir in the Magnolia Stakes at Kempton in March, before the combination finished sixth to Stradivarius when returning to turf in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup at York.

He is a best price 8-1 for Friday's nine-runner contest, which is worth over £173,000 to the winner and features two other European raiders in Irish hope Raa Atoll, trained by Luke Comer, and Amade, trained in France.

Curtis said: "I've ridden in the US before at Gulfstream Park many moons ago when I didn't manage a winner, but hopefully Mootasadir can give me a nice spin.

"It looks a competitive race and it's his first time over two miles but he wasn't stopping at Kempton and he may well have found the ground a bit lively at York last time.

"Many of the US horses struggle to stay over these long distances and the plan would be to let him slide along in front."

6,708 The number of miles from Haydock Park to Belmont Park and back

Thursday 4.40pm: last possible ride at Haydock
Friday 10.48pm: rides Mootasadir at Belmont Park
Saturday 1.45pm: Haydock's meeting starts

To say Curtis is on a flying visit would be putting it mildly as he added: "I'm riding at Haydock on Thursday and fly out of Manchester to New York on Friday morning. I plan to fly back straight after the race to ride at Haydock on Saturday so I hope I can sleep on the plane!"

Hugo Palmer, who trained Wall Of Fire to finish eighth in the race two years ago, added: "Mootasadir has travelled over nicely and has eaten up well. He's got a nice draw in stall one from where he could go forward.

"Hopefully he can bounce out and get into a rhythm, which was something he was not able to do at York last time. Ben gets on very well with the horse so it made sense to keep the combination intact."

Raa Atoll is bidding to bolster his claims for a Royal Ascot bid and Jim Gorman, assistant to Comer, said: “Raa Atoll runs at Belmont. We will review plans after that. He’s in the Ascot Gold Cup and there are a couple of other options which will be considered.”

Belmont Gold Cup Invitational card

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