Moon Madness (foaled 1983), was a British

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse and

sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" a ...

. In a career which lasted from September 1985 until November 1988, he ran twenty-four times and won ten races. He recorded his most important success when winning the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

as a three-year-old in 1986, the same year in which he also won the

King George V Stakes The King George V Stakes is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), a ...

, and the

Scottish Derby The Scottish Derby was a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It was run at Ayr over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres), and it was scheduled to take place each year in July. ...

. He continued to race for the next two seasons in major middle-distance and staying races, with his victories including the

Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is sc ...

, the

Geoffrey Freer Stakes The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards (2,671 me ...

the

Cumberland Lodge Stakes The Cumberland Lodge Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metr ...

and the Yorkshire Cup. He later stood as a stallion in Europe and Japan.

Background

Moon Madness was a very dark bay horse bred by his owner Lavina, Duchess of Norfolk. He was the most successful runner sired by Vitiges, who was one of the best European colts of his generation, winning the

Prix Morny The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is scheduled to ...

and the

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

. Moon Madness's dam, Castle Moon, produced seven other winners including the

Coronation Cup The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

winner

Sheriff's Star Sheriff's Star (27 April 1985 – after 1995) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old he won his first two races before establishing himself as one of the best British colts of his generation with a close second in ...

. The Duchess sent her colt into training with John Dunlop at

Arundel Arundel ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Arun District of the South Downs, West Sussex, England. The much-conserved town has a medieval castle and Roman Catholic cathedral. Arundel has a museum and comes second behind much large ...

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

. Moon Madness was ridden in most of his races by the veteran Irish jockey

Pat Eddery Patrick James John Eddery (18 March 1952 – 10 November 2015) was an Irish flat racing jockey and trainer. He rode three winners of the Derby and was Champion Jockey on eleven occasions. He rode the winners of 4,632 British flat races, a f ...

Racing career

1985: two-year-old season

Moon Madness made his only appearance as a two-year-old in a maiden race at

Goodwood Racecourse Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in lat ...

in which he finished fourth, beaten four and half lengths by Faraway Dancer, a colt who went on to finish fourth in the following year's

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

Timeform Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by ...

described him as colt who was "likely to improve".

1986: three-year-old season

Moon Madness began his three-year-old season by winning minor handicap races including victories at Newmarket and

Haydock Haydock is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 11,416 Haydock's historic area covers the Haydock electoral ward and a section of the Blackbrook ward. Haydoc ...

. He recorded his first important success when winning the

, a handicap race for three-year-olds at

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...

in "impressive" style. He was then moved up to

Listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...

class and won the Scottish Derby at

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

. In August he was sent to

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

to contest the

Great Voltigeur Stakes The Great Voltigeur Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 18 ...

, an important trial race for the St Leger in which he finished third behind Nisnas and Mashkour. It was his first defeat after five successive wins. In the St Leger at

Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. History Doncas ...

, Moon Madness started 9/2 third favourite in a field of eight runners with the filly Untold, winner of the

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 fu ...

being made favourite. Ridden by

, Moon Madness drew away from his opponents in the straight to win "comfortably" by four lengths from Celestial Storm and Untold. Later that autumn he finished third to Allez Milord and Baby Turk in the

Preis von Europa The Preis von Europa is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Cologne over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...

1987: four-year-old season

As a four-year-old, Moon Madness began by finishing fourth to

Mtoto Mtoto (1 April 1983 – 24 May 2011) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from 1985 until 1988, he ran ten times and won seven races. He showed some promise as three-year-old in 1986, but emerged as a top-class horse in ...

in the

Brigadier Gerard Stakes The Brigadier Gerard Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 209 yards (), and i ...

and then finished third in the

Hardwicke Stakes The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and ...

at Royal Ascot behind Orban. He recorded his most important victory of the season in France, winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud from the future

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

winner

Tony Bin Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...

. He returned to England to contest the

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

, but finished unplaced behind Reference Point. In August, Moon Madness won the

, beating a field which included Legal Bid and Ibn Bey (runner-up in the

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October o ...

). In Autumn, Moon Madness was sent to Germany where he finished second to

Acatenango Acatenango is a stratovolcano in Guatemala, close to the city of Antigua. The volcano has two peaks, ''Pico Mayor'' (Highest Peak) and ''Yepocapa'' (3,880 m) which is also known as Tres Hermanas (Three Sisters). Acatenango is joined with Volcá ...

in the

Grosser Preis von Baden The Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is schedul ...

. At Ascot he won his third major prize of the season when he won the

from Knockando and Mashkour, being given "perfect handling" by Eddery to win from the front. On his final appearance of the year he led the field for much of the way in the

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

before being overtaken in the straight and finishing fifth.

1988: five-year-old season

On his 1988 debut, Moon Madness started the 6/5 favourite for the Yorkshire Cup and won "smoothly" by one and a half lengths from Lake Erie In June, Moon Madness finished third behind

Triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...

in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and third again behind Almaarad in the

at Royal Ascot. He finished last of the ten runners behind

in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and was sixth behind Top Class in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes. In his last race, Moon Madness ran for the second time in the Japan Cup, finishing sixth behind Pay The Butler.

Stud career

Moon Madness stood as a stallion in Europe and Japan, but had very little success as a sire of winners in either location. He was exported from Japan to France on 8 December 1994.

Pedigree

References

{{St Leger Winners Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom 1983 racehorse births Thoroughbred family 8-c St Leger winners