MOON BALLAD
©Frank Sorge
2003 - MOON BALLAD
Moon Ballad's five-length victory for Godolphin in the 2003 renewal of the Dubai World Cup evoked memories of Dubai Millennium's brilliant success by a length more in the same contest three years earlier.
The four-year-old was emulating his sire Singspiel, winner of the 1997 race, in gaining his first success at the highest level, having kicked off his season with a smooth six-length success from Go Underground in the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum Challenge (Round II) at Nad Al Sheba in February.
His subsequent victory in the world's richest race delighted connections, who had described the colt as 'the young pretender' after he had been beaten half a length by Storming Home in the 2002 Group One Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Moon Ballad's greatest triumph came over a top-class field. Runner-up Harlan's Holiday had won a Grade One event at Gulfstream Park, USA on his previous start, the Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum-owned Nayef, a further length adrift in third, was already a three-time Group One winner, while the winner's stable companion Grandera, a short-head behind Nayef in fourth, was victorious in three Group One contests in 2002 including the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The fact that Moon Ballad was even compared to Dubai Millennium by winning jockey Frankie Dettori was a huge compliment to his ability.
"Moon Ballad has improved so much this year and it would have taken a real good one to beat him. I got the same feeling as I had when I rode Dubai Millennium because when I turned for home, I couldn't hear the other horses," said the rider.
"I knew then we were going to win, as I had plenty left and I was able to enjoy it. I enjoyed it more this time, as there was probably more pressure on me when I won on Dubai Millennium. This is a truly wonderful feeling - the sky is the limit for this horse."
"Dettori's Moon Eclipses Rivals," was the headline above Eddie Fremantle's piece in The Observer.
Fremantle wrote: "Moon Ballad produced a scintillating performance to win the Dubai World Cup on the dirt under the floodlights at Nad Al Sheba, streaking clear to beat American raider Harlan's Holiday by five lengths in the world's richest race."
Paul Wheeler wrote in The Sunday Herald: "The smile said it all as Frankie Dettori lit up the night sky at Nad Al Sheba when Moon Ballad hit all the right notes to win the Dubai World Cup."
He continued: "They were queuing up behind Dettori on the home turn but he simply waited his moment before delivering the coup de grace. When it came, the only thing that could keep pace was the crowd as they cheered him clear of Harlan's Holiday, who kept on for second place, with Nayef snatching third place from Grandera.
"Godolphin's ethos is the pursuit of excellence and Moon Ballad, as the latest equine crystallisation of that goal, will now carry their banner across the world."