This article has been taken from the June 2014 issue of Aston Martin's official AM Magazine. Available now in Print and App format.

Top Jockey Ryan Moore enjoys the fine pedigree of the V12 Vantage S during a weekend of classic flat racing at Newmarket.

You couldn’t miss the V12 Vantage S when it arrived outside my house in Newmarket on the Friday before the Guineas Festival. I had the day off before this Bank Holiday weekend meeting, so it was a marvellous opportunity to get used to the car as I ran a few errands around town. In the afternoon, I headed to the bloodstock sales at Tattersalls, where the future stars of racing are bought and sold. A few trainers I ride for gave the car admiring glances. From there I picked up my son from school. He loved everything about the car, from the colour scheme to the engine’s roar, and didn’t stop asking questions—mostly “How fast can it go?”—all the way home.

Early on Saturday, I drove to the Newmarket gallops, where I rode out the horses as usual. The Queen was in attendance with her trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, whose mount Gospel Choir I was riding. The V12 Vantage S caught her eye and she commented on the striking Flugplatz Blue paintwork. I explained I was fortunate to have it for the weekend and offered her a lift back. She declined politely.

Having driven the V12 Vantage S into the jockey’s car park for the first day of the two-day meeting at Newmarket, it was immediately the talk of the changing room. All the other jockeys had something to say about it and quite a few asked to sit in it. The racing itself on Saturday was a great day. I rode two Group winners, on Sole Power and Gospel Choir, so it was a good afternoon’s work. The racecourse was very busy with a crowd of nearly 20,000 enjoying the racing and fine weather. At the end of the day, there was a lot of traffic leaving the course, but the Aston Martin caught the attention of many spectators. That evening, I attended a social event hosted by the trainer Marco Botti. Once again, the V12 Vantage S was the talk of the town, although by now I was quite used to the attention.

The second day of the big meeting at Newmarket saw me return to the Rowley Mile, known as the “Course of Champions”. I rode a winner in the first race, which was a cracking start. Unfortunately, I came second in the next, just beaten by a head. Overall though, it was another great day’s racing with a large crowd in attendance.

I was riding again on the Monday (no Bank Holiday rest for me!), but the racing was at Windsor, which meant a nice drive down from Newmarket in the V12 Vantage S. It was a chance to give the car a bit more of a spin on the motorway and see what it could do. With a model like this, it’s obviously better if you can get it out on a clear road and let it stretch its legs. I had taken it on a few of the backroads around Newmarket, but heading to Windsor on the motorway meant I was really able to experience the car’s performance. I’d been told what it was capable of—and it didn’t disappoint. I ride thoroughbred animals for a living and this was definitely a thoroughbred car.

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