Green Moon
| Green Moon | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Montjeu |
| Grandsire | Sadler's Wells |
| Dam | Green Noon |
| Damsire | Green Tune |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 16 February 2007 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Goldsmith Bloodstock |
| Owner | Ben & Annabel Goldsmith Lloyd Williams |
| Trainer | Harry Dunlop Robert Hickmott |
| Record | 20: 7–3–0 |
| Major wins | |
| Fairway Stakes (2010) Newcastle Gold Cup (2011) Blamey Stakes (2012) Turnbull Stakes (2012) Melbourne Cup (2012) | |
| Awards | |
| Australian Champion Stayer (2011/12) | |
| Last updated on 6 November 2012 | |
Green Moon is a Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Ireland and trained in Australia, and owned by Australian businessman Lloyd Williams. He won the 2012 Melbourne Cup, ridden by Brett Prebble and trained by Robert Hickmott.[1] The horse was originally to be ridden in the cup by Damien Oliver, but Oliver was dropped by Williams, the owner, after being accused of illegal betting.[2]
Background
Sired by Montjeu Green Moon was owned by the Goldsmith family and trained by Harry Dunlop.[3] Then he was sold to Lloyd Williams in 2010.[3]
Racing career
Green Moon started his career in England with trainer Harry Dunlop. After two placings as a two-year-old in 2009, he won his first three starts as a three-year-old, including a listed race. Three unplaced runs followed before he was purchased by Lloyd Williams and sent to Australia.
Green Moon's first Australian campaign was in the spring of 2011. He rose to prominence when winning the Newcastle Gold Cup after a hard run, and lived up to that promise when running second in the Caulfield Cup. However, he failed to qualify for the Melbourne Cup when being well-beaten in the Lexus Stakes. Returning the following autumn, he won the Blamey Stakes over 1600m in his only start that campaign, confirming his status as a major contender for the 2012 Melbourne Cup.
Green Moon's 2012 spring campaign started well, with a narrow defeat in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes and a win in the Turnbull Stakes making him one of the favourites in both the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup. However, after a disappointing seventh in the Cox Plate, his odds drifted in the Melbourne Cup, eventually starting at $22 on the tote. In the Melbourne Cup, he settled seventh in an on-pace dominated race, before running clear early in the straight and holding out second-placed Fiorente by one length.
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Officials call for stand-down powers". 3 News NZ. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Once in a Green Moon" (PDF). Owner. December 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.