TOP jockey Ryan Moore could miss York's Ebor Festival after being advised to rest by doctors.

Moore, currently chasing a fourth jockeys' championship, is struggling to recover from a hip injury and has not ridden all week.

He was expected to ride superstar filly Minding in the £900,000 Juddmonte International, the richest race at the festival which starts on August 17.

"I'm not going to rush it," Moore said. "I want to be 100 per cent for all the major races in the autumn."

Moore's absence may yet be good news for Minding's rivals including The Grey Gatsby, trained by Kevin Ryan, who is aiming to make it third time lucky after second and third place finishes in the last two runnings.

Hambleton-based Ryan says the five-year-old is on target to take up his engagement in the race on the opening day of the festival after finishing second in last month's Princess Of Wales’ Stakes at Newmarket.

“The Grey Gatsby is on target for the Juddmonte," said Ryan. "He’s in good order and we are hoping the weather stays fair and we get some good fast ground.

“He has run well in the last two years and has never run a bad race at York. We are hopeful that he can be competitive again.”

Later in the week, the Coolmore Nunthorpe is on the agenda for both Brando and Goken from Ryan's yard.

The former won the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown before finishing second behind last year’s Nunthorpe winner, Mecca’s Angel, in a Group 2 at The Curragh.

Goken put up a career best third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and has run respectably on two outings since.

“The plan is to run Brando and Goken. Both are in good form," said Ryan. "Brando is an improving sprinter. He will have to improve again but I’m very happy with him.

"Goken ran very well at Royal Ascot and in the July Cup where he got no run. The ground was a bit quick for him (in the King George Stakes) at Goodwood last week.”

The richest ever renewal of this famous sprint, now with £340,000 in the kitty, takes place on day three of the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival, Friday August 19.

For tickets call 01904 620911 x225 or visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk