Jockey Danny Nikolic plucked a career-best ride from the widest gate to land an emotional win on Mosheen in the Group One Australian Guineas at Flemington.
Trained by Robert Smerdon, the three-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock on Saturday became just the fourth filly in 27 runnings of the 1600-metre feature to win, and the first from a double-figure barrier.
From barrier 16, Nikolic amazingly managed to get Mosheen settled on the rails fifth last and thread her through the field to score by three lengths from Strike The Stars and Mister Milton.
Smerdon described the win as a “great, great thrill” while Nikolic said it was bigger for him than the 2003 Caulfield Cup victory on Mummify.
“From that marble I was always going to have pull out a pretty good ride,” Nikolic said.
“She switched off really good and I was able to shoot her across and was able to get the runs I needed.
“When I was able to find a few bums straight away, I got to one off the fence in the squeeze box, and from the 1000 metres I started to edge out.
“I got up inside Craig Williams (That’s The One) which I thought was the horse to beat, and I was able to go though without losing any momentum.”
Smerdon said the wide barrier was always a concern and he was gobsmacked when Nikolic was able to get to the inside rail so quickly.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” Smerdon said.
“That has been a great, great thrill, the whole build up.
“We thought we had her flying and we were really getting excited and confident, but we spat the dummy when barriers came out.”
Mosheen’s new Japanese owner Katsumi Yoshida was so overjoyed he “squealed” on the phone when he heard Mosheen race away to win.
“I have never heard a bloke squeal like that,” managing owner Phil Sly, who has had his own personal fight against cancer, said.
“It means a lot to all of us and the important thing is we are all here.”
Mosheen continues to build an impressive resume which includes a runway VRC Oaks win and second in the Golden Slipper Stakes at only her second start a year ago.
Smerdon said Mosheen’s next target was the Group One Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill and a possible tilt at the Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.
Nikolic said he never doubted Mosheen even after her last-start shock defeat when second to Shopaholic in The Vanity.
Four days later Nikolic declared to Smerdon she would win the Guineas after a track gallop at Sandown which he described as the best he had known in years.
Nikolic said that personally he had a point to prove and he felt he proved it with his ride in the Guineas.
“All the owners and trainers have been giving me a wide berth of late so I hope this shows that I still have got it if I have the horse underneath me,” he said.
Favourite and Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet ($4.20), who is Dubai-bound, again disappointed, settling last and finishing 12th.
