Stunning performance earns Rosie shot at Sydney Group 1

Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien could take smart mare Miss Rose de Lago to Sydney for a Group I assignment after her dominant win in Thursday’s night’s Group II Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

Miss Rose de Lago led throughout the $200,000 contest before scoring by 2-¾ lengths but O’Brien has a Randwick assignment in mind for the former Perth mare.

"We could potentially take her to Sydney and run her in the mile mares’ Group I (the Queen of the Turf Stakes) there in a fortnight,” O’Brien said.

"She’s a high-class mare. She’s been terrific since she came over from Perth to us and she’s really gone to another level tonight.

"At weight-for-age mares, Group II, she really dominated that field.”

James McDonald guided Miss Rose de Lago to her comfortable success. The Sydney-based rider said the five-year-old travelled perfectly to the 600m before quickening strongly.

"She has a high cruising speed and she rolled along really well. She got down the side and when she increased, I thought to myself, ‘it’s going to have to be a good mare to get past her’,” McDonald said.

"She was very strong to the line.”

Punters backed Noble Protector from $7.50 to $5.50 late in betting before she made ground in the straight to grab second ahead of Metaphorical ($12).

The $2.60 favourite Fenway races handy to the speed for jockey Blake Shinn before she was outsprinted in the last 400m, finishing fourth.

Miss Rose de Lago’s win completed a Moonee Valley double for O’Brien after Zahspeed scored an easy win in the $80,000 Tour of Victoria Middle Distance Final (2040m).

Glen Boss was aboard Zahspeed ($5) in his four-length win over Tenacitus ($4 fav) and Word Of Mouth ($6).

Story & Pic by Racenet's Brad Waters and Darryl Sherer, to view full Racenet story click here