Brilliant Return for Mosheen

Last seen thrashing the best fillies in the land to win the Group I VRC Oaks by a facile nine lengths, Mosheen (3f Mosheen x Sumehra, by Stravinsky) returned to racing at Caulfield on Saturday with a soft victory in the Listed MRC Manfred Stakes against the colts and geldings over 1200 metres. The Robert Smerdon trained filly was partnered by regular rider Danny Nikolic, who allowed her to travel back in the field before cruising into contention at the top of the straight. When asked for an effort she surged away, taking the sprint by the best part of two lengths from promising gelding That’s The One with another Fastnet Rock in third place in Highly Recommended (3c Fastnet Rock x Suggestive, by Al Hareb). "She’s my little ray of hope,” Nikolic said. "She’s the only decent horse I’m really riding and she put paid to them pretty easy today. "I had the race won a long way out, probably 600 metres from home. "I just let her cruise up to them on the turn and when I asked her to sprint she showed a really good turn of foot.” Part-owner Phil Sly, who recently sold a 50% stake in the filly to leading Japanese breeder Katsumi Yoshida, said Mosheen would have her next start in the Group III VRC The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 18. "Smerdy [Robert Smerdon] said to me he had the horse probably at about 80 percent [fit today] so if that’s 80 percent I’m looking forward to 90 percent and then 95 and maybe 100,” Sly said. "I hope she ends up in the Coolmore [Classic at Rosehill in March] but she may stay here in Melbourne. That’s up to Smerdy. "We know she goes to the Vanity next start and we’ll go from there.” A $250,000 purchase from the Bylong Park Thoroughbreds draft at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mosheen has won four races and placed four times from 10 starts earning $1.6 million in prizemoney. She is one of eight Group I winners for leading young sire Fastnet Rock and is the second of his Group I winners trained by Robert Smerdon, who also puts the polish on SAJC Goodwood Handicap winner Lone Rock. Bred by Bylong Park Thoroughbreds, Mosheen is the first foal of the Stravinsky (USA) mare Sumehra (NZ), a winning half-sister to Group I HK Derby and International Mile winner Lucky Owners and stakes-winner Miss Power Bird from the family of champion racehorse Might and Power, whose many wins included Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. Sumehra was covered again by Fastnet Rock last year. Fastnet Rock is riding high having been responsible for the sale-toppers at both Magic Millions (colt from Rose of Cimmaron sold for $960,000)and NZB Premier (colt from Nureyev’s Girl sold for $NZ1,750,000) and is also leading the Australian General Sires List by earnings.