Cape Cross may have been retired from stud duties in March but the influence of the son of Green Desert is still keenly felt. This was highlighted once again on Sunday when Moonlight Magic triumphed in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown to set himself up for a potential tilt at the Epsom Derby in June.
For a stallion who was himself best over a mile, Cape Cross has exerted an extraordinary influence over Epsom’s middle-distance Classic trip. Moonlight Magic will bid to become his sire’s third winner of the Epsom Derby in just eight years, following in the footsteps of his close relative Sea The Stars who triumphed in 2009, and last year’s winner Golden Horn who now stands at Dalham Hall Stud.
Cape Cross is of course also responsible for the magnificent Epsom Oaks heroine Ouija Board, and his influence is also being strongly felt into the next generation courtesy of Ouija Board’s Derby-winning son Australia, and Sea The Star’s Oaks winner Taghrooda. Both triumphed in their Classics in 2014, to give Cape Cross a famous double.
Moonlight Magic is bred for Classic success, hailing from a family steeped in Epsom glory - that of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Urban Sea. His dam Melikah is the highest-rated performer by the 1995 Derby victor Lammtarra, and finished third in the Epsom Oaks and second in the Irish equivalent in 2000.
A year later, her half-brother Galileo cruised to victory at Epsom before also claiming the Irish Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a G1 treble, before going down by a head to Fantastic Light in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes.
Three years later, All Too Beautiful emulated her half-sister Melikah by placing in the Oaks, finishing second to none other than Cape Cross’s Ouija Board. Seven years later, the pattern would repeat itself again with All Too Beautiful’s daughter Wonder Of Wonders also finishing runner-up in the Oaks, this time behind Dancing Rain.
As befits one of the most extraordinarily successful families in the Stud Book in recent years, Urban Sea’s offspring are still very active.
Four of her sons are at stud, while her daughters include three black type producers to date.
Melikah had already produced two black type winners prior to Moonlight Magic, including the Listed winner and G2-placed Hidden Gold, and the record-setting Masterstroke. The son of Monsun set a new Stakes record when triumphing in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville and now stands at Haras du Logis at a fee of €3,000 Oct 1st SLF. His oldest crop are now yearlings.
Since producing Moonlight Magic, Melikah has visited Dubawi twice, producing a two-year-old colt named Meistersinger and a yearling filly.
