Monashee Mountain's Miss Cover Girl Wins Last Group 1 of the Season

Ten years after La Montagna won the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle farm to credit her sire Monashee Mountain (USA) with his first Group 1 winner, the Kelly Schweida-trained Miss Cover Girl became his second winner at the elite level when springing a $21 shock in Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

On a day that witnessed a host of horses breaking a long run of outs,  Miss Cover Girl entered the winners circle for the first time in 14 starts since defeating Peeping in the Group III PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick in April last year. (photo Lisa Grimm)

Ridden by Damian Browne, Miss Cover Girl held the challenge of favourite Azkadellia (Shinko King) by a length with one and a quarter lengths back to Sultry Feeling (Encosta de Lago) in third.

It was the second win in the race for Kelly Schweida after Nova Star in 2007, the first year it was upgraded to Group 1. 

But the Eagle Farm based trained missed seeing Miss Cover Girl's win as he was at the Rockhampton Cup, which he won with Ruling Force.

The 4yo mare was saddled up by Schweida's assistant Hayley Nichols.

"Is he going to cop it! But he has had faith in this horse all along and things worked out just as we hoped," Nichols told AAP.

"We knew she would be a lot better for the fourth in the QTC Cup because it had been three weeks between runs. Also the way the track was playing and the fact it was soft suited her."

In earning her second stakes win Miss Cover Girl advances her overall record to 8 wins, 3 seconds and 4 thirds from 26 starts for earnings of $799,900.

Consigned by Blue Hills Thoroughbreds to the 2013 Magic Millions QTIS Yearling sale, Miss Cover Girl left the ring unsold when failing to make her modest $20,000 reserve.

She is the first foal of the 4-time Group 1 winning Show a Heart mare Tolart whose dam I told You is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Huntingdon Girl (Black Zephyr) the dam Group II Stan Fox Stakes and Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Dynamic Love (Brave Warrior) as well as the Listed winner Key bar Nights (Anabaa).

It proved a productive day for the Queensland stalwart Show a Heart who earned his first Group 1 win as a broodmare sire shortly after his son Feltre credited the son of Brave Warrior with his 23^rd stakes winner.

Tolart has an unnamed 3yo filly by Hotel Grand and a yearling colt by Written Tycoon.

After missing to Red Element in 2014, Tolart was covered by Monashee Mountain (USA) again last spring.

A stakes winning son of Danzig, Monashee Mountain is a half-brother to four stakes winners including the 2003 US Horse Of The Year Mineshaft and the multiple Group 1 winner Tomisue's Delight.

He has ridden the rollercoaster of fashion over the years but he covered a six year high of 82 mares at Sun Stud last spring.

He looks excellent value at his fee of $3,300 this year at the Queensland-based farm where he stands alongside Jabali, Instinction, Bel Esprit, and Love Conquers All.