Champion Moira Retired From Racing in Australia

Moira, a champion in the United States and Canada, was officially retired from racing Oct. 15. The news was announced by Chris Waller, who trained the 6-year-old Ghostzapper mare after she was purchased by Yulong Investments for $4.3 million at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale in 2024 just days after her victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. Moira made five starts in Australia this year with her best finish being a runner-up finish in a set weights and penalties race. She competed at the group 1 level three times, her best finish coming when fourth in the Sept. 20 Underwood Stakes (G1) at Caulfield Racecourse. She finished 10th in the Oct. 4 Turnbull Stakes (G1) at Flemington Racecourse, which would be her last start. "Moira is obviously a world-class mare and while she hasn't yet quite reached those same heights here in Australia, her performance earlier in the prep gave us a glimpse of her class," Waller said in a statement shared to social media. "We simply feel that she is not racing at her absolute best right now and with her extraordinary resume, she will be an outstanding broodmare, a real asset to the Australian breeding industry." Out of the multiple stakes-winning and grade 2-placed Unbridled's Song mare Devine Aida, Moira was bred in Ontario by Adena Springs. She was purchased for $150,000 out of the Hidden Brook consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by X-Men Racing, who would be joined in ownership by Madaket Stables and SF Racing. Trained by Kevin Attard, Moira debuted a winner of the 2021 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and placed second in the Mazarine Stakes (G3) to show her early talent at 2. At 3, Moira would capture the biggest prizes for Canadian-breds in the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate Stakes, being named Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly at the 2022 Sovereign Awards. At 4, Moira showed her talent against open company by winning the 2023 Canadian Stakes (G2T) and placing in all five of her other graded starts, including third-place finishes in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Following her 4-year-old season, she was offered by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa at the Fasig-Tipton's 2023 November sale where she was bought back by her connections for $3 million. It was the right move as she returned even stronger in her 5-year-old campaign, conquering the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in her third consecutive year participating in it, as well as the Beverly D. Stakes (G2T). She was also runner-up in the Diana Stakes (G1T) and the E. P. Taylor. She would be honored at the Eclipse Awards as 2024's champion turf female. In total, Moira finished her career with a record of 7-7-2 in 22 starts for earnings of $3,058,077. In North America, she only finished off the board twice in 17 starts.