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Yes folks, you really did read it here first…
The mysterious Moodie Tipster (pictured above in a careful disguise) struck again with Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
In our special readers’ competition last week, offering the chance to win a ticket in the Dubai Duty Free ‘Finest Surprise’ luxury car draw, the Tipster wrote: “One of four runners trained by Aidan O’Brien, who knows how to win this race (he’s won the last five), Treasure Beach was runner-up to French-trained winner Pour Moi in the Epsom Derby. The colt also won the Chester Vase, which sounds like something listed in Dubai Duty Free’s ceramics department. The symbolism is there for all to see – over the past three decades Dubai Duty Free has turned the desert sands of the emirate into a veritable treasure beach. The Moodie Tipster’s pick.”
And so it came to pass. In a thrilling finish, Treasure Beach (below) fought off a stiff challenge from another Aidan O’Brien runner, Seville (the selection of Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin), while the favourite, the Queen’s horse Carlton House, could only come in fourth.
We had many entries but most opted for Carlton House. Two contestants, though, followed The Moodie Tipster’s advice. One was Iñaki Arteaga of Philip Morris Spain Duty Free, and the other, appropriately, was Irishman John Hume of industry lobbyists Hume Brophy.
Rather than either of them missing out on this particular treasure, we’ve decided to award them both a ticket in the Finest Surprise draw, courtesy of The Moodie Report.
Once again it was a magnificent occasion, one that brought virtually incalculable global publicity for the UAE travel retailer.
Colm McLoughlin joins the winner’s connections to talk to the Irish and international press about the success of Dubai Duty Free’s sponsorship]
[The Moodie Report Founder Martin Moodie gives his vote of approval to our mysterious Tipster’s punditry abilities]
Colm McLoughlin with the jockies and the UAE Ambassador just before the big race]
The three ‘M’-igos, Mick, Martin and ‘Mossie’: Martin Moodie with industry legends Mick Geogehan (left) and Maurice Burke]
A rose between two thorns: This year’s Rose of Tralee, Clare Kambamettu, is flanked by Martin Moodie and John Sutcliffe