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Top jockey Umberto Rispoli has revealed the extent of the impact of losing the ride on Breeders’ Cup Classic hope Journalism, saying his children ‘cried for two hours’ after he broke the news.

The California-based Italian has been an ever-present on the Michael McCarthy-trained colt this year and has ridden him to five of his six career victories. The successes included the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness and Haskell Stakes plus second place finishes in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Pacific Classic.

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Journalism is a 12-1 chance for one of the hottest editions of the Classic ever at Del Mar on November 1, a race which is also set to feature Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, defending champion Sierra Leone and last year’s runner-up Fierceness plus Japan’s Saudi Cup winner Forever Young.

But the colt’s connections, whose ownership group also includes the Coolmore partners, have chosen Jose Ortiz for the big race. Ortiz has ridden six Breeders’ Cup winners, while Rispoli has still to open his account.

McCarthy, speaking about the change to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, said: “Jose is in the middle of a career year. He is in the chatter amongst the Eclipse Award finalists. He brings a breadth of knowledge to the table. He’s a big race rider, a cool race rider.”

The California trainer admitted that news of the switch had been tough to deliver to the jockey with whom he had an “almost familial” relationship.

Giving his own reaction to Idol Horse, Rispoli, whose children are aged three and eight, said: “My kids cried for two hours. They just kept asking me ‘Why dad, why are you not riding the horse?’ We have to look forward now and move on, not focus on bad things.

“Some jockeys reached out and that was very kind of them, lifting my morale from Australia to America and everywhere saying keep your head up, move forward, go forward, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

He added: “I don’t like the decision but I have to accept it, that’s their decision to make. I have a strong mentality, I’ve come a long way and I’ve learned over time how to react to this moment, it’s not the first time I’ve lost a ride and it’s probably not going to be the last time.

“I’m 37 years old, so when I was younger this would have felt like a head shot, but now, at my age, with the experiences I have had, it feels like a body shot and I can take that.

“I have to look forward, move on and be focussed on the people that have given me 100 percent confidence to ride their horses: I can’t be focused on a horse I’ve been taken off.

“I’m going to watch Journalism’s race, of course I am; I’ll be there; I care that I’m not riding him, but what happens in that race is not my concern.”