Moonstone (horse)

Last updated
Moonstone
Sire Dalakhani
Grandsire Darshaan
DamSolo de Lune
Damsire Law Society
Sex Mare
Foaled3 March 2005 [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Colour Bay
BreederBritton House Stud Ltd
Owner Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Trainer Aidan O'Brien
Record6: 1-2-0
Earnings£291,173
Major wins
Irish Oaks (2008)

Moonstone (foaled 3 March 2005) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for her win in the Irish Oaks. Unraced as a two-year-old, her six-race track career lasted from April to October 2008. After finishing second in a maiden race on her debut she ran fourth in the Musidora Stakes and second in The Oaks before recording her first and only victory in the Irish Oaks. She finished unplaced in two subsequent races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. As a broodmare she has produced several good winners including US Army Ranger.

Contents

Background

Moonstone is a bay mare with a white blaze bred in England by the Somerset-based Britton House Stud. As a foal in December 2006 she was put up for auction at Tattersalls and was bought for 700,000 guineas by Dermot "Demi" O'Byrne on behalf of John Magnier's Coolmore Stud organisation. [2] The filly was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. Like many Coolmore horses, the details of Moonstone's ownership differed from race to race: ahe sometimes raced in the colours of Magnier's wife Susan while on other occasions she was listed as being owned by a partnership of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Moonstone was from the first crop of foals sired by Dalakhani, the winner of the 2003 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As a breeding stallion he also produced Conduit, Reliable Man, Duncan and Integral. [3] Moonstone's dam Solo de Lune never raced but was a very successful broodmare whose other foals included L'Ancresse (second in the Irish Oaks and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf) and Cerulean Sky (Prix Saint-Alary). [4] Solo de Lune was a daughter of Truly Special (Prix de Royaumont) who was in turn a daughter of Arctique Royale. Other close relatives included Ardross, Electrocutionist and Scorpion. [5]

Racing career

2008: three-year-old season

Moonstone was not raced as a two-year-old and began her racing career in a maiden race over ten furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse on 20 April 2008. Starting the 3/1 joint favourite in a seventeen-runner field she made steady progress in the straight and finished second to the Dermot Weld-trained colt Winchester. Despite her defeat she reportedly displayed "immense potential" and was made ante-post favourite for The Oaks. [6] The filly was then stepped up in class and sent to England for the Musidora Stakes (a trial race for the Oaks) at York Racecourse on 14 May. Racing on good-to-firm ground she tracked the leaders before being outpaced in the straight and finished fourth behind Lush Lashes, Cape Amber and Dar Re Mi. [7]

Moonstone was a member of a six-horse Ballydoyle contingent for the 230th running of the Oaks at Epsom Racecourse on 6 June and with Johnny Murtagh, who had ridden her in her first two starts, opting to partner Adored, she had Richard Hughes in the saddle. [8] She was made a 25/1 outsider but after being restrained at the rear of the field in the early stages she stayed on strongly in the straight to finish second to Look Here with the favoured Lush Lashes back in fifth. Murtagh was back in the saddle when Moonstone started 2/1 favourite for the Irish Oaks at the Curragh Racecourse on 13 July. The better fancied of her thirteen opponents included Katiyra (winner of the Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial and third in the Epsom Oaks), Gagnoa (Prix Penelope, second in the Prix de Diane), Mad About You (second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas) and Chinese White. After racing just behind the leaders before moving into second place behind Ice Queen, a 66/1 outsider also trained by Aidan O'Brien, inside the last quarter mile. Despite her odds, Ice Queen showed no signs of weakening and it was only in the final strides that Moonstone overhauled her stablemate to win by a short head. Gagnoa was two lengths back in third place ahead of Chinese White at Katiyra. [9] She became the first maiden to win the race since Olwyn in 1977 and gave O'Brien his seventh consecutive Irish classic winner. [10] Aiden O'Brien commented "It was a great race with two jockeys and two fillies giving it their all. It was a usual masterful ride from Johnny... Moonstone ran a smashing race at Epsom and she stays very well. She is progressing well". [11]

After an absence of almost three months, Moonstone returned for two races at Longchamp Racecourse. In the Prix de l'Opéra over 2000 metres on 5 October she made no impact as she finished twelfth behind the German filly Lady Marian. Three weeks later she was moved up in distance and matched against male opponents in the 3100 metre Prix Royal-Oak and produced a rather better effort, coming home sixth of the eleven runners, four and a half lengths behind her stablemate Yeats. [12]

Breeding record

At the end of her racing career, Moonstone was retired to become a broodmare for the Coolmore Stud. She made an immediate impact, as her first four foals were all stakes winners:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Moonstone (GB), bay mare, 2005 [1]
Sire
Dalakhani (IRE)
2000		 Darshaan (GB)
1981		 Shirley Heights Mill Reef
Hardiemma
DelsyAbdos
Kelty
Daltawa (IRE)
1989		 Miswaki Mr. Prospector
Hopespringseternal
Damana Crystal Palace
Denia
Dam
Solo de Lune (IRE)
1990		 Law Society (USA)
1982		 Alleged Hoist The Flag
Princess Pout
Bold Bikini Boldnesian
Ran-Tan
Truly Special (IRE)
1985		 Caerleon Nijinsky
Foreseer
Arctique Royale Royal and Regal
Arctic Melody (Family: 23) [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Moonstone pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ↑ "Tattersalls December Yearling Sale 2006". Racing Post .[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Dalakhani – Progeny". Racing Post.
  4. ↑ "Solo De Lune – Progeny". Racing Post.
  5. 1 2 "Piping Peg's Dam – Family 23". Thoroughbred bloodlines. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Paley, Tony (13 May 2008). "Moonstone can dazzle her Musidora opponents". The Guardian .
  7. ↑ "Musidora Stakes result". Racing Post . 14 May 2008.
  8. ↑ "Look Here claims shock Oaks win". BBC Sport . 6 June 2008.
  9. ↑ "Irish Oaks result". Racing Post . 13 July 2008.
  10. ↑ Sue Montgomery (14 July 2008). "Moonstone new jewel in the crown for O'Brien". The Independent .
  11. ↑ Wood, Greg (13 July 2008). "Moonstone proves a gem for O'Brien in the Oaks". The Guardian.
  12. ↑ "Prix Royal-Oak result". Racing Post . 26 October 2008.
  13. ↑ "Nevis – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  14. ↑ "Stubbs – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  15. ↑ "Words – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
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