20th Stakes-Winner for Fastnet Rock

Leading sire Fastnet Rock looks to have a mortgage on the upcoming Group I MRC Thousand Guineas with his star filly Atlantic Jewel (3f by Fastnmet Rock x Regard, by Zabeel), but he has an able back-up in classy filly Mosheen (3f Fastnet Rock x Sumehra, by Stravinsky) who hit top form at Flemington on Sunday with a commanding win in the Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes. Stepping up to a mile for the first time, the Robert Smerdon trained filly raced forward for Danny Nikolic with the blinkers back on and when asked to accelerate in the straight, she quickly found another gear to kick clear from perennial rivals Bliss Street and Celebrity Girl, who filled the minor placings. In scoring by nearly three lengths, Mosheen took her overall record to two wins and three placings from six starts with prizemoney in excess of $840,000, the bulk of that money coming for her gallant second to Sepoy in the Group I STC Golden Slipper at just her second race start. “She’ll go to the Thousand Guineas now and then we’re hoping she can stretch out in distance and be back here for the Oaks,” said Robert Smerdon. A $250,000 purchase from the Bylong Park Thoroughbreds draft at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mosheen becomes the 20th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock, who was in the frame at Randwick on Saturday with his glamour colt Foxwedge (3c Fastnet Rock x Forest Native, by Forest Wildcat) taking out the Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes. Bred by Bylong Park Thoroughbreds, Mosheen is the first foal of the Stravinsky 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. Given his presence in the pedigree there seems cause for optimism that Mosheen may well run a trip against her own age this spring and she does have a 5 x 4 double cross of the great staying influence Sir Tristram (IRE) that won’t go astray either in helping her find the required stamina. Mosheen is the sixth Australian stakes-winner since the start of the season for Fastnet Rock, who stands at Coolmore at a fee of $132,000.