Ryan Moore: Aidan O’Brien “gets inside their heads”

Ryan Moore has lifted the lid on what makes legendary trainer Aidan O'Brien so successful, comparing his training style to former Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger. 

Speaking alongside Arsenal legend Ray Parlour and broadcaster Mark Pougatch in a video interview for World Pool, Moore said O’Brien’s edge lies in his ability to go beyond training for fitness — and instead “gets inside their heads” to bring out the very best in both horses and riders.

The four-time Longines World’s Best Jockey and World Pool ambassador also pointed to the culture at Ballydoyle as a key factor, describing an environment where standards are relentlessly high and no one wants to fall short.

Moore said:“What Aidan [O’Brien] does is not just train the horses for fitness, but he trains their minds, and even the minds of the riders. He gets everyone pulling in the same direction, builds good spirit amongst the riders in the yard and everyone has a good time.

“He’s a very smart man and has a great feel for the horse. He understands them, gets inside their heads, and knows what needs doing to get the best out of them.

“When I go to Ballydoyle, I can’t wait to go in there. Even though we work hard in the mornings and they are tough mornings, it’s all good fun. Like Ray [Parlour] says about when he was working with the best players in his day, we’re working with the best horses, top people and everything is high quality, so you don’t want to be the one to drop the ball – you need to hit those standards.”

Moore was speaking alongside Parlour, who outlined what made Wenger such a great boss. Parlour explained:“What I loved about Arsene [Wenger] was when we were training, we trained hard, but off the field he was a nice character; he loved a laugh, loved a bit of humour and that made him as well. We’d have run through a brick wall for him.”

Alongside Pougatch, Moore and Parlour covered common ground on the pressures and experiences of being an elite sportsperson; from dealing with nerves, training techniques and how to relax. Both Arsenal fans, the pair also discussed their affinity with the club and hopes for the rest of the season.

World Pool is an exciting and innovative version of international commingling. Powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, it hosts internationally commingled betting pools for a global audience on the world’s finest racing. The first World Pool day across the UK & Ireland in 2026 will be 2,000 Guineas Day at Newmarket on Saturday 2nd May.