3 November 2011

The $1 million Crown Oaks didn't need Atlantic Jewel for a one-act affair, with Mosheen cruising to one of the easiest wins in the history of the 153-year-old classic.

Robert Smerdon's consistent daughter of Fastnet Rock peeled off a performance of which the Mark Kavanagh-trained Atlantic Jewel would have proud, strolling home by nine lengths in the 2500-metre Group 1.

It was something of a bonus win for connections with Smerdon saying after the race that Mosheen would not have contested the Crown Oaks had Atlantic Jewel not have succumbed to a hamstring injury after her seven-length romp in Saturday's Wakeful Stakes.

“The Thousand Guineas was our major aim but this was always part of the plan if she showed she had the constitution, but after (running second to) Kavanagh's filly in the Thousand Guineas, we just said we don't want to race it again,” the Caulfield trainer said.

“We were never going to go there against the good filly, but Sunday morning our filly was really good and then the news came through that the other filly wasn't running, so it was full steam ahead.”

Mosheen atoned for Group 1 second placings in the Golden Slipper – to Sepoy – and the Thousand Guineas to score the first elite-level win of her career.

She allayed fears she wouldn't run the Crown Oaks trip, after she over-raced when sixth in Saturday's Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), to settle beautifully and give jockey Nikolic a charmed ride.

Nikolic took Mosheen straight to the front from barrier two and was allowed to dictate terms with all of her rivals eager to take a sit. As a result, the $5 chance exploded when Nikolic asked at the 400m, extending her margin all the way to the line.

Kiwi filly Dowager Queen ($3.50 favourite) led home the chasing pack, one-and-a-quarter lengths clear of the David Hayes-trained Roma Giaconda ($26).

The Bart Cummings-trained Gliding ($7) ruined her chances by over-racing in the middle stages and finished seventh, one spot in advance of Rahveel ($6), who was poised to be a factor straightening after racing on the speed but dropped out in the run home.

Nikolic said he knew on the home turn he was going to break through for his first Crown Oaks success, having finished second on three occasions.

“When I got to the 600, I thought I'd have to break down to get beat,” Nikolic said. “She was just cantering, she was breathing good and I knew she could reel off better sections than any of those fillies. She was the class horse.”

• See all the full result of the 2011 Crown Oaks.