Brilliantly bred Moonlight Magic to stand at Equus Stud in India

Moonlight Magic, a supremely well bred multiple stakes winner, has been bought to stand at Equus Stud in India in a deal brokered by local agent Gaurav Rampal and Stroud Coleman Bloodstock.

The Godolphin homebred is by Cape Cross out of Irish Oaks runner-up and Oaks third Melikah, a daughter of Derby hero Lammtarra and legendary broodmare Urban Sea, making her a half-sister to Classic winners and elite sires Galileo and Sea The Stars (also by Cape Cross).

Melikah has also produced Group 2 winner and Arc third Masterstroke, who stands at Haras du Logis in Normandy, Listed scorer Hidden Gold and last season's impressive November Handicap winner Royal Line.

Furthermore, Melikah is maternal great-granddam of last year's Derby hero Masar, whose dam Khawlah is also by Cape Cross.

Trained by Jim Bolger, Moonlight Magic did his bit for family honour by winning the Listed Eyrefield Stakes at two, the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at three and the Group 3 Meld Stakes at four.

He was also runner-up to Minding in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes and ran respectably in Group 1 company when fourth behind Decorated Knight in the Irish Champion Stakes.

He concluded his racing career with James Cummings in Australia under the name Mr Moonlight Magic.

Rumpal said: “He's a three-parts brother in blood to Sea The Stars and a grandson of Urban Sea. With what Galileo has done as a sire, we couldn't have asked for a better pedigree. It was fortunate that Godolphin agreed to sell him.”

Moonlight Magic has had some high-achieving broodmares in India reserved for him. Among those he will cover are the dams of European Group winners Knife Edge (Attalea, by Monsun), Moohaajim (Thiella, Kingmambo) and Narniyn (Narmina, Alhaarth).

He will also receive full or half-sisters to Alandi (Aliwiyya, by Anabaa), Domedriver (City On Sea, Monsun), Manndar (Mandara, Mark Of Esteem) and Rafha (Chamela Bay, Sadler's Wells), as well as close relations to Alpha Centauri (Quan Yin, Sadler's Wells) and Verbal Dexterity (Luminous One, Galileo).

Among the best mares campaigned in India set for Moonlight Magic is Temerity, a daughter of Intense Focus and Narmina who won the Indian Oaks and Indian Turf Invitation Cup.

Moonlight Magic will stand at Equus Stud alongside Ampere, a son of Galileo who won the Group 2 Prix Hocquart and finished second in the Grand Prix de Paris.