Ryan Moore to miss the end of the season due to injury: who will replace the jockey at Ballydoyle.

Prospects of Ballydoyle after Ryan Moore's injury

According to The Sun: From the very beginning, the intentions were clear. In 1997, 27-year-old Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore manager John Magnier convinced multiple-time Irish champion jockey, Kristy Roche, to leave Jim Bolger to become the main jockey at Ballydoyle.

Ryan Moore may miss the rest of the season due to a broken leg.

After a quiet period following Vincent O'Brien's departure, the stable began to develop rapidly, and they wanted to attract one of Ireland's best jockeys for further growth. It truly paid off.

So far, Roche had been the only jockey to leave Ballydoyle. Others either left on their own or were gently pushed out. It took a whole 17 years to find a worthy successor.

Ryan Moore's injury and his future

With news that Ryan Moore is likely to miss the rest of the season due to injury, I start to wonder about the future. Someone will undoubtedly take his place, but that doesn’t mean that a broken femur is the end of a career. The key jockey of the stable continued to race even with an injured leg since June, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he returns for the Breeders' Cup in November.

But he will turn 42 this month, and he will not stay forever. It would surprise me if discussions about a replacement plan haven’t already started.

The history of stable jockeys during Aidan's time at Ballydoyle is impressive, as there has been a real revolving door over two decades.

Roche's rival, Mick Kinane, joined in 1998 and won 52 Group 1 races for the stable. He rode on horses like Galileo, Giant's Causeway, High Chaparral, and Rock of Gibraltar.

However, their attention was captured by young Jamie Spencer, who hoped to become Ballydoyle's main jockey and started his career in 2004. But after one tough year, his path in the stable came to an end.

Next came the talented Kieran Fallon, who joined the stable after a personal meeting with Magnier. But his gamble proved unsuccessful, as Fallon faced two bans for drug use.

He was replaced by Johnny Murtagh, and Joseph O’Brien also held this position between 2011 and 2015.

After a decade of instability, they experienced 10 years of stability and incredible success with Moore at the helm.

Who will replace Ryan Moore?

Among the candidates for this position, the first that comes to mind is Oisin Murphy. However, considering the previous negative experience with Fallon, it is unlikely they would take a risk with a problematic jockey again. Colin Keane has also found success at Ballydoyle and is likely being closely monitored for his performances.

I wouldn’t want to offend Wayne Lordan, but he will probably succeed Simmy Heffernan as the permanent second jockey at the stable.

There are two young jockeys who are quickly standing out – Dylan Browne McMonagle and Ross Ryan. The former is leading the Irish championship and has close ties to the O’Brien family, being the main jockey for Aidan's son, Joseph. And Ross is an incredibly talented jockey who has already shown his ability to handle big challenges.

In my opinion, the fight for this seat will unfold between the two of them – though Ryan Moore seems not to be planning to leave the best job in the world of horse racing anytime soon.

The events surrounding Ryan Moore’s injury mark an important moment for the Ballydoyle stable. Certainly, his absence will affect the stable’s results, but given the talents of the candidates already in the running, spectators should not lose hope for a bright future. Time will tell who among the new faces will be able to fill this large void.