He was named European Champion Sprinter as a three-year-old in 2001, when his victories included two Group One races in England, the July Cup and the Nunthorpe Stakes.

His sire Danehill was one of the most successful stallions of his era, producing the winners of more than a thousand races including one hundred and fiftty-six at Group One/Grade I level.

[2] Mozart's dam, Victoria Cross was an unraced daughter of the highly successful broodmare Glowing Tribute, making her a half sister of the Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.

[3] Mozart was sent as a yearling to the Tattersalls Houghton Sale in September 1999 where he was bought for 340,000gns by the bloodstock agent Dermot "Demi" O’Byrne on behalf of John Magnier and the Coolmore organisation.

Mozart started the 11/10 favourite in a field of twenty-six and justified his position by taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by a length from the previously unbeaten Norwegian-trained filly Pretty Girl.

[7] After the race his joint-owner Sue Magnier called him "a very smart horse" who would "definitely stay a mile" and the bookmakers offered him at odds of 20/1 for the following year's 2000 Guineas.

The colt failed to settle[9] and raced prominently to dispute the lead two furlongs out but weakened in the closing stages to finish fourth of the ten runners, beaten just under two lengths behind Tobougg.

Mozart stumbled as the stalls opened causing his saddle to slip back over his hindquarters and making it impossible for Kinane to ride a normal race.

As a two-year-old, Mozart was given a rating of 115 by the International Classification, making him the fourteenth best colt of his generation, eight pounds behind his stable companion Minardi.