A week ago owner Phil Sly underwent cancer surgery, on Friday night he was at Moonee Valley cheering home a winner and a day later he has celebrated the stunning return to form of Mosheen at Flemington.
For Sly, his co-owners and trainer Robert Smerdon, Mosheen’s win in the Group Two Blazer Stakes (1410m) ended a worrying six weeks during which the mare’s racing future was in the balance.
Mosheen winning the Blazer Stakes at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Mosheen, the VRC Oaks winner of last spring and the champion filly of the autumn, had throat surgery to correct a respiratory problem in late August.
The problem caused connections to abandon Cox Plate plans and set the mare for the Group One Myer Stakes (1600m) on Derby Day.
But that goal looked almost futile after Mosheen disappointed in her first two runs this time in.
“Nick Hall had one word for me after her last start at Caulfield,” Smerdon said.
“It was: `concerning’.
“But you do what you think is right.”
But Smerdon stuck to his training plan and produced Mosheen ($4.60) in near-perfect order to score by 1-1/4 lengths from Bonaria ($41) with a short-head to Miss Stellabelle in third place.
Mosheen will have her next run in the Group Two Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in two weeks and then the Myer Stakes a fortnight later.
For Sly, the win had special significance.
“I just hope I can be as tough as her,” he said.
“They cut a couple of holes in my back and took at some lumps of lung.
“But I feel terrific now.”
