RACING / Champion Stakes countdown: Moon Ballad might be the forgotten horse of tomorrow's Ireland The Food Island Champion Stakes but does a World Cup winner really deserve to be out of people's minds this much?
The Godolphin colt is a 12 to 1 sixth favourite of seven with Paddy Power. The only one longer in the odds is France, a horse with more attitude than a buzzed up Liam Gallagher, and who is widely presumed to be in the race as a pacemaker.
It's downright insulting in some respects and it's probably just as well for the bookies that Sheikh Mohammed doesn't bet: no one would be more likely to respond to such a challenge.
In fact, the presence of Moon Ballad among the final field of seven is a tip in itself.
Four of the last five renewals have fallen to the boys in blue, with such luminous names as Swain (1998) and Daylami (1999) among them. For good measure there was also Cezanne in 1994.
This season may have been comparatively underwhelming for the Dubai outfit but this is one race where the mere appearance of Godolphin is significant.
"We have used this race for our key Breeders Cup horses down the years. The likes of Fantastic Light, Swain and Daylami have all gone the same route because the timing is excellent and we have done well in it," the Godolphin spokesman Simon Crisford said yesterday.
Last March, after a scintillating World Cup triumph at Nad Al Sheba, mentioning Moon Ballad's name in the same company seemed perfectly natural but two races back in Europe have dented his prestige to such an extent that the bookies are now confident in dismissing his chance.
"It has been frustrating. He wasn't really battle-hardened when he ran in the Prince of Wales at Ascot and everything that could go wrong at Goodwood (Sussex Stakes) did go wrong. We're rather inclined to sweep that under the carpet. But we're very happy with him now, the trip will be ideal and the ground will be to his advantage," Crisford added.
The team are also slow to jump to the conclusion that Moon Ballad's career-topping performance in Dubai is the product of a simple preference for dirt racing.
"I don't think there is enough evidence to say that yet. He did look terrific in Dubai and his dirt rating is higher than his turf but it is too early to say anything for definite.
"We know he will be up against the very best in Europe at Leopardstown and it is a true championship race. He will have to put up a career best performance but we feel he will run a good, honest race," Crisford said.
In the past, Godolphin have pulled a number of tactical rabbits out of the hat in the Champion Stakes. Fantastic Light for one was never supposed to lead Galileo throughout in 2001. This time round they are applying a first-time visor to Moon Ballad which, if nothing else, should help with the overall pace of the race.
"He is a type that likes to race near the front and I imagine he will be close enough to it. It will depend on what Aidan does with his pacemaker but we will be close enough," he said.
Time may yet prove that allowing Frankie Dettori carte blanche to dictate from the front could be seriously damaging to those behind Moon Ballad: And those who dismiss Godolphin as a Champion Stakes back number in 2003.
