Tartan Fields breeder Hamish Esplin will have a vested interest when White Moss and Pedrena clash in the Glenlogan Park Stakes Group III at Doomben this Saturday.
Both mares
are by Vinery's champion sire Mossman and Tartan Fields has the only Mossman
yearlings catalogued for the Magic Millions National Sale on June 5 and 6.
Hamish would obviously prefer a White Moss (image Steve Hart) victory – by a short half-head from Pedrena. The Esplin family – Hamish, his brother Patrick, sister Elise and mother Michele – bred and race White Moss who won the Nivison Stakes Gr.3 at Randwick earlier this season.
On the flipside, the Esplin family will be glowing with pride if Pedrena salutes in black-type company again on Saturday. She is trained by Mick Price and won the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes Gr.3 at Flemington last November.
Pedrena was also bred and sold by the Esplin family for $60,000 at the 2015 Gold Coast Magic Millions National Yearling Sale and her connections have already banked over $315,000.
"We're looking forward to Saturday and the National Sale," Hamish said this week. "Mossman has been a speed influence and a great investment for buyers for many years. They win at two and keep racing on year after year.
"Look at Plucky Belle. We bred and raced her to win the Coolmore Classic Gr.1 as a six year-old mare. And Buffering. He raced against Black Caviar and Hay List but didn't win his first Group 1 until he was six."
In Hong
Kong, Mossman's rising star Ivictory won the Chairman's Sprint Gr.1 at Sha Tin
last month and his Sydney mare Moss Trip is being set for the Tatts Tiara Gr.1
at Doomben on June 23.
Moss Trip is one of the most improved horses in training coming off black-type wins in the James Carr Stakes Gr.3 at Randwick and Inglis Guineas RL at Scone for Triple Crown Syndications.
Tartan Fields is based on the NSW Central Coast at Kulnura and the stud's manager Danielle Smith is prepping a Mossman colt and filly that have been intentionally targeted towards the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
Lot 1704is the brother to Plucky Belle from Queensland Guineas Gr.2 winner Winning Belle (Zabeel). "He's a November foal and wasn't ready for the January Sale," Esplin said. "Since then he's matured into a lovely type and is one of those clean-movers by Mossman."
Lot 1904is the filly out of Loulinda (War Pass) who is a winning half-sister to Gilgai Stakes Gr.3 winner Fast 'N' Famous. "She's a first foal and you can see what the finished product will look like. The extra six months has been crucial and she's developing into a real athlete.
"Loulinda is a beautifully-bred mare and is typical of the kind of deep families we are nurturing at Tartan Fields," Esplin added. "There are Group winners in NZ right down her page and crossing with Mossman will hopefully add more black-type in Australia."
