No Mossfun In San Domenico Stakes

Co-trainer John Hawkes has revealed that 2014 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun will not return to the races in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Mossfun will not contest the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

Mossfun will not contest the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Wayne Hawkes said last month that Mossfun may race exclusively in Melbourne during her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign, but his father told TVN yesterday that the Group 1 winning filly will resume in Sydney – just not in the San Domenico Stakes this weekend.

“She’s not running Saturday,” Hawkes said.

She’ll start off in Sydney and go to Melbourne later on if everything’s all right.”

Mossfun has not been seen at the races since he scored narrow win over Earthquake in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5, but she impressed with an impressive jump out victory from Group 1 winner Commanding Jewel at Flemington on August 1.

The daughter of Mossman was included in the nominations for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) that were released last week, but the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1200m) is more likely to be her major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival target.

While Mossfun will not be included in the San Domenico Stakes field, Team Hawkes could still have a representative in the Group 3 event in the form of lightly-raced colt Nostradamus.

Nostradamus made his racing debut with an impressive victory after being well-backed in the Nursery Plate (1100m) at Flemington on January 18 and he stormed home from the back off the field to finish fourth behind Rubick in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8.

The Medaglia D’Oro colt received some support in betting in the lead-up to the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22 and he made up good group again late to finish seventh.

Nostradamus has been included in the nominations for the San Domenico Stakes and Team Hawkes will decide whether he takes his place in the field after they analyse his performance in an open trial over 760 metres at Hawkesbury this morning.

Team Hawkes have also included Bugatty in the San Domenico Stakes nominations and he is a chance of returning to Group level after he started his spring campaign with a disappointing effort in a midweek event at Sandown on June 18.

Bugatty was given an opportunity against open company in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing and he was far from disgraced in eighth place.

Nostradamus and Bugatty have also been included in the nominations for the benchmark 75 handicap that will be held at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

About The Author

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.