A nine-length demolition by Mosheen in the VRC Oaks had the Flemington crowd in awe and answered all the questions about her ability to run a strong 2500 metres.
But trainer Robert Smerdon admitted she would not have run in the Classic if the unbeaten Atlantic Jewel had been in the race as planned.
The long-time favourite and winner of Saturday’s traditional lead-up, the Wakeful Stakes, Atlantic Jewel was ruled out a day later with a pulled hamstring.
That prompted a rethink by Smerdon and Mosheen’s owners who formed a happy group after the Golden Slipper runner-up led all the way to space favourite Dowager Queen with Roma Giaconda another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
It was also a triumph for beleagured jockey Danny Nikolic whose last Group One victory came in the 2010 Oakleigh Plate on Starspangledbanner.
“The Oaks was always part of the aim but the Thousand Guineas was the main aim,” Smerdon said.
“After (Mark) Kavanagh’s filly won the Thousand Guineas we said we just don’t want to race her again.”
Mosheen ran second to Atlantic Jewel in the Guineas and sixth against the older mares in the Myer Classic on Saturday.
“Going through the Myer Classic was still an option into the Oaks,” Smerdon said.
“It wasn’t like we were giving up but we were never going to go there against the good filly.
“But on Sunday morning the news came through the other filly wasn’t running so it was full steam ahead.”
Smerdon said he and Nikolic discussed tactics before the race with the jockey outlining his plan.
“Danny said `I’m going to go hard on the fence and stay there’,” Smerdon said.
“He backed himself.”
Mosheen ($5) led all the way while Dowager Queen ($3.50) raced midfield with Roma Giaconda ($26) making ground from the back of the field.
A year ago Nikolic found himself at the beginning of a long-running battle with officialdom over his use of a mobile phone on course and just last week he was charged with assault on another jockey.
Managing owner Phil Sly has been fighting his own battles with cancer and the win was a welcome tonic after his latest dose of chemotherapy.
“It’s a great feeling,” Sly said.
“It’s something we didn’t come here this morning thinking we were going to do.
“I just finished chemo yesterday so it’s good to be half-human again.”
Smerdon took over the training of Mosheen for her spring preparation when former trainer Leon Corstens became ill.
“I did have some doubts about whether she would stay 2500 metres but when I saw her shape, she had the look of a stayer,” Smerdon said.
“She’s a Golden Slipper runner-up and here she is an Oaks winner.”
Dowager Queen’s owner Max Whitby said he was proud of his filly but she was just no match for the winner.
“This was her grand final,” he said.
“She has had a big campaign and we’ll bring her back for the AJC Oaks and maybe the Queensland Oaks.
“She has served us well.”
AAP TURF
