Kiwi Fillies To Make Australian Debuts In The Vinery Stud Stakes

New Zealand-trained fillies Miss Mossman and Rising Romanceare both set to make their Australian racing debuts in the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday after being included in the nominations for the Group 1 event.

John Sargent will be chasing another feature race win in Australia when Miss Mossman contests the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

John Sargent will be chasing another feature race win in Australia when Miss Mossman contests the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Rising Romance will be returning to races against her own sex after performing strongly against the best colts in New Zealand during her autumn campaign to date.

The Ekraar filly made her racing debut at Avondale in October of last year and scored her maiden race win at Dargaville on November 15 before triumphing at Listed level in the Trevor Eagle Memorial Handicap (1500m) at Ellerslie on November 3.

She was far from disgraced when third in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and backed up a week later at the same venue to score an impressive win over Lucia Valentina in the Group 2 Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m).

Rising Romance took on the colts when she finished second behind Puccini in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 15 and came from towards the back of the field with a massive run to finish second in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on March 1.

Trainer Donna Logan considered setting Rising Romance for the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but elected to give the three-year-old an opportunity against her own sex in the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 19.

Miss Mossman has also performed strongly at the highest level of racing in New Zealand and will be facing Rising Romance for the first time this weekend.

The Mossman filly has had 19 race starts since making her racing debut in November last year and made a slow start to her career before finding her best form when given the opportunity over longer staying trips.

Miss Mossman stepped up to 2100 metres for the first time in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on March 1 and finished second behind Miss Selby before turning-the-tables on her rivals with a most impressive victory in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 15.

The New Zealand-trained duo will need to be at their best in the Vinery Stud Stakes this weekend; with a number of the best staying fillies in Australia set to contest the Group 1 event.

Guy Walter-trained Zanbagh will return to Group 1 level after taking out the Group 3 Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on March 23, while Solicit will have the opportunity to bounce back from her surprise loss to Marianne in the Listed Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 21.

New Zealand-bred Lucia Valentina has also been included in the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes nominations; with Arabian Gold, Define, Metaphorical, Suavito and Sensibility among the list of nominees.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.