Miss Mossman bounced back to form with a comprehensive victory in the NZI 2100 at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Last year’s G1 New Zealand Oaks winner led throughout for trainer Lance O’Sullivan and jockey Craig Grylls. “She was really enjoying herself and had plenty left when I went for her,” Grylls said. “They were never going to pick her up once she flattened out and she won really well.”
Miss Mossman (4m Mossman – Dane Promise by Danehill) could run again in the G3 Rotorua Cup at Arawa Park next Saturday. “She had been working well but we weren’t sure if she was ready to step up to a middle-distance,” O’Sullivan said. “She’s obviously fit enough and provided she comes out of this okay we may back up.”
The Mossman mare joined O’Sullivan’s Wexford yard at the start of the season when her original trainer John Sargent closed his Matamata stable in favour of a permanent move to Sydney.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, she is a younger sister to Hong Kong winner Mighty Equus and sold for $25,000 through the Westbury Stud draft at the 2012 NZB Select yearling sale at Karaka.
Miss Mossman won the G1 NZ Oaks at Trentham during a busy three year-old season in 2013-14 but failed to find form in a handful of starts earlier this season. She inspired hopes of a revival with a promising fourth second-up at Hastings earlier this month and put it all together at Te Rapa.
Miss Mossman is one of five Group 1 winners by Vinery sire Mossman alongside champion sprinter Buffering, Mossfun (Golden Slipper), Ofcourseican & Plucky Belle (Coolmore Classics).
Vinery will stand Mossman for a $27,500 (inc. GST) fee in 2015.
