Canadian Horse of the Year, Breeders’ Cup winner and Special Sovereign Award winner MOIRA continues to struggle in her new home of Australia. The six-year-old Ghostzapper mare finished 10th of 14 in the Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on October 3.
The Turnbull is a major stepping-stone to the Melbourne Cup (G1) on the first Monday in November.
Owned by Yulong Investments, Moira was making her fifth start ‘down under’ since she was sold by X-Men Racing, Madaket Stable and SF Bloodstock in November of 2024 for $4.3 million. In April of this year she was 14th in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile before she had the (Australian) winter off. She returned with a fourth-place finish in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at seven furlongs and was second in an allowance race in early September.
Before Friday’s Turnbull, Moira was fourth in the Underwood Stakes (G1) to Sir Delias (Frankel).
She met Sir Delias and her multiple champion stablemate Via Sistina in the Turnbull at 10 furlongs on Friday, but while Sir Delias went on to a powerful win, Moira was always in the back of the field and never mounted a bid.
However, jockey Ben Melham said, “Wasn’t a bad run. Had to get a long way back from the draw. She came to the outside and she seemed to appreciate a bit of room and a bit of give in the ground. I thought she was steady to the line. That will tighten her fitness up and she’s ready to run well over 2400m.”
Moira is trained by Chris Waller. Her North American race record was seven wins in 17 races, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar last fall.
The last part of the TAB Turnbull Stakes, Moira is last in the picture with the white bridle, dark green and white silks:
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