Mosheen Bypasses Guineas For Vinery Stud Stakes Start

Mosheen’s camp will turn down the opportunity to clinch the Triple Crown in Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in favour of racing her own sex in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill on April 7.

The three-year-old will face off against her own age in the 2,000 metre race before going on the the Australian Oaks at Royal Randwick two weeks later.

Trainer Robert Smerdon is trusting the opinion of jockey Danny Nikolic when it comes to Mosheen’s next race start.

“Danny thinks she should go to the Vinery so that’s probably what we will do,” Smerdon said.

“Everything is an option and we’ll look at it run by run.

“The preference is to keep her to her own age group and ideally her own gender so the Vinery and the Oaks would be the plan.”

Mosheen won her last start in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas after posting victory in her previous run in the $1 million Australian Guineas.

Co-owner Phil Sly, who is in remission after a long battle with cancer, is happy to leave all decision making to Smerdon.

“There is no pressure from Phil,” the trainer said.

“After all the things he’s been through he just tells me it’s only a horse race after all.”

Smerdon believes the autumn carnival will only get better for Mosheen, whom he believes is the best filly he has trained during his career.

“She can do anything,” he said.

“She goes left handed, right handed, wet or dry and eats up everything she can.

“And she has been sound all along which is half the battle.”

Mosheen has won six of her 13 race starts and has earned close to $2.4 million in prize money.

The Fastnet Rocket filly, who was purchased from the 2010 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, has demonstrated her versatility by winning over distances ranging from 1,000 metres to 2,500 metres in the Group 1 VRC Oaks last spring.

 

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