Ryan Moore backs BHA blocking of Gina Mangan in Diore Lia controversy

On Wednesday night the BHA decided under Rule (F)8 to prevent the 7lb claimer from taking her chance in the premier British Classic.

The regulatory body cited her inexperience of just 69 rides for one winner, and her possible threat to other riders, as reasons for reaching the tardy decision. They added it was “in the best interests of the sport,” despite earlier in the week stating that there was nothing to stopping Mangan from riding. Owner Richard Aylward has vowed not to run her, and does not believe he can secure a rider before Thursday morning's final declarations.

Moore, who has ridden 11 times in the Derby and has won on two occasions, said: "The BHA gets its fair share of criticism but in the main they do a very good job in difficult circumstances, and I think they have to be congratulated in deciding that Gina Mangan isn’t allowed to ride in the Derby.

"So credit where it is due - and it is definitely due to the BHA here."

Horsemen have sniffed at the participation of Diore Lia this week, but trainers of the caibre of Mark Johnston, who trains leading hope Permian, stopped short of suggesting that Diore Lia should banned from running.

Rank outsiders have run in the Derby previously with Plato’s Republic, who was last at 500-1 in 1994, the lowest-rated runner in recent memory – the colt was rated 49 after his next race.

The owner of Diore Lia said on Wednesday night he would not run the filly after Mangan was blocked from riding her, but she featured among 19 declarations for the race on Thursday morning.

Paddy Pilley, another apprentice, has been booked, although he is much more experienced than Mangan, having ridden 34 winners from 469 rides. He is 0-4 at Epsom but has partnered seven winners at tricky Brighton.

Mangan has held a licence in Britain only this season but there is nothing in the race conditions to the Derby to stop her from taking part. The BHA inferred in a statement from Jamie Stier, the BHA's chief regulatory officer, that rules should have perhaps been put in place, and still could be for next year's contest. Moore is behind him all the way.

“They have done the right thing by the horse and, while Gina Mangan may not appreciate it at the moment, they have done the right thing by the jockey, too,” he added, in his Betfair blog.

“This is a dangerous game, as we unfortunately see far too often, and you simply couldn’t allow an inexperienced horse and rider to be placed into the situation that they would have been at Epsom on Saturday.

“Who is to say what would have happened in front of a massive, worldwide TV audience?

“More than anything, the BHA has done the correct thing for the horse and jockey, as much as the sport and the other participants in the race.

“In this game you can’t take safety for granted, and you would have been asking the horse and jockey to do something at Epsom that they simply weren’t equipped to do. And whether or not the horse should even be allowed to run with an experienced jockey on board is highly debatable, too.”

Moore is himself likely to pick Derby favourite Cliffs Of Moher from the choice of six runners from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable.