Moon Ballad

Last updated
Moon Ballad
Sire Singspiel
Grandsire In The Wings
DamVelvet Moon
Damsire Shaadi
Sex Stallion
Foaled1999
Country Ireland
Colour Chestnut
Breeder Newgate Stud Farm
Owner Godolphin Racing
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor
Record14: 5-3-1
EarningsUS$4,377,008 (equivalent)
Major wins
Dante Stakes (2002)
Select Stakes (2002)
Sheikh Maktoum Challenge Round II (2003)
Dubai World Cup (2003)

Moon Ballad (foaled 1999 in Ireland) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed internationally.

Ireland Island in north-west Europe, 20th largest in world, politically divided into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (a part of the UK)

Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth.

Thoroughbred Horse breed developed for racing

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered "hot-blooded" horses that are known for their agility, speed, and spirit.

Horse racing Equestrian sport

Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise – to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course or distance – has been unchanged since at least classical antiquity.

Contents

Background

He was bred by Prince Fahd Salman's Newgate Stud Farm which operated from a base at the now closed Sandley Stud in Gillingham, Dorset in England.

Fahd bin Salman was a member of the House of Saud.

Gillingham, Dorset town in Dorset, England

Gillingham is a town and civil parish in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It lies on the B3095 and B3081 roads in the North Dorset administrative district, approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the A303 trunk road and 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Shaftesbury. It is the most northerly town in the county. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 11,756. The neighbouring hamlets of Peacemarsh, Bay and Wyke have become part of Gillingham as it has expanded.

England Country in north-west Europe, part of the United Kingdom

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north-northwest. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Out of the mare Velvet Moon, Moon Ballad's damsire was Shaadi who in 1989 won the Group One Irish 2,000 Guineas. Moon Ballad's sire was the very talented international winner Singspiel who won G-1 events in England, Canada, Japan, and the Dubai World Cup. Singspiel was a son of In The Wings who was a multiple Group One winner in Europe as well victor in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Turf in the United States.

Shaadi was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed very promising form as a two-year-old in 1988 when he won both of his races. In the following year he won the Craven Stakes but then ran very poorly in the 2000 Guineas. He produced his best form in his next two races, recording decisive wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes. He was unplaced in his two remaining races and was retired from racing at the end of the season. He stood as a breeding stallion in Europe and Japan, having limited success as a sire of winners.

Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern race system introduced in 1971 and monitored by the European Pattern Committee. To attain or maintain a Group One status, the average rating for the first four finishers in the race must be 115 or higher over a three year period. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities works to ensure consistent international standards. Group One races may only be restricted to age groups or a stipulated sex: they should not be restricted to horses bred in a certain country. Group One (G1) races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia, but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply.

The Irish 2,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile, and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.

Sold in October 2000 at the Tattersalls auction to Godolphin Racing, Moon Ballad was conditioned for racing by Saeed bin Suroor.

Tattersalls auctioneer of race horses

Tattersalls is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Saeed bin Suroor, is a horse racing trainer. He took out his training license in 1993 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation.

Racing career

2001: Two-year-old season

The colt raced once at age two, finishing second in a 2001 maiden stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in England.

Newmarket Racecourse horse racing venue in England

Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in the town of Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses, the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing and is home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations, including Tattersalls, the National Horseracing Museum and the National Stud. Newmarket hosts two of the country's five Classic Races - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, and numerous other Group races. In total, it hosts 9 of British racing's 36 annual Group 1 races.

2002: Three-year-old season

In 2002, Moon Ballad began the year racing at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in his owner's native Dubai. He won his first outing then finished fourth to Essence of Dubai in the 2002 UAE Derby. Back in England his race-riding duties were taken over by jockey Jamie Spencer. In May they ran second in a Listed stakes race at Newmarket then won the G-2 Dante Stakes at York Racecourse before finishing third to High Chaparral in June's Epsom Derby. In September, Moon Ballad won the G-3 Select Stakes and in October ran second in the G-1 Champion Stakes.

Nad Al Sheba Racecourse

Nad Al Sheba Racecourse was Thoroughbred horse racing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates opened in 1986. It had a 2,200 m left-handed dirt race track and a left-handed turf course of the same distance. It operated from November through March and featured the Dubai International Racing Carnival and its Dubai World Cup Night.

Dubai Metropolis in United Arab Emirates

Dubai is the largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf, it is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the country.

The UAE Derby is a Group 2 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates for three-year-old thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,900 metres on dirt at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. It takes place annually during the Dubai World Cup Night on the last Saturday in March.

2003: Four-year-old season

In February 2003, Frankie Dettori rode the four-year-old to victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 2 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in his owner's native Dubai. Six weeks later at the same racecourse, Dettori and Moon Ballad won the world's richest horse race, capturing the US$6 million Dubai World Cup by 5 lengths. Returning to England, at Ascot Racecourse he ran ninth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and was fifth in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse. Racing in the early fall at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland, the colt ran fifth to High Chaparral in the Irish Champion Stakes. He was then sent to the United States to compete in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at New York's Belmont Park. Under U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, Moon Ballad finished fifth and last to winner Mineshaft.

Stud career

Retired after his loss in New York, Moon Ballad was sent to stand at stud under Darley Stud's management at the Yoshun Company's Stud in Hokkaidō, Japan. In 2010, he was returned to Ireland to stand at the Woodlands Stud, Galway.

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