Moon Cactus dies

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's breeding operation received another

blow when Moon Cactus (Kris) died from a uterine hemorrhage a day

after producing a colt by Singspiel (Ire) at Dalham Hall Stud on Sunday. The

19-year-old mare's Classic-winning daughter Moonshell (Ire) (Sadler's Wells)

died just two weeks ago after a difficult foaling.

Bred by Sheikh Mohammed, Moon Cacuts was never out of the frame in seven

starts, winning the Prestige S. (Eng-G3) and finishing second in the Prix de

Diane (Fr-G1) and earning $242,326 while trained by Henry Cecil. Her first foal

was Moonshell, winner of the Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) in 1995. She went on to produce

listed winner Ocean of Storms, and Australian Group 2 winner Hatha Anna

before Doyen (Sadler's Wells) arrived in 2000.

That bay went on to land the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1)

and the Hardwicke S. (Eng-G2) as a four-year-old, and was the highweighted older

runner over 11-14 furlongs. He enters stud this year at Dalham Hall.

Moon Cactus produced Dame Violet, a filly by In the Wings (Ire) in 2003 and

an unnamed colt by that stallion in 2004.