In an era when commercial success for a young stallion often seems all but impossible without the guaranteed flying start of big initial books of 100 plus mares it seems amazing that a sire such as Mossman should have succeeded at all.
A son of Group I Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Success Express (USA), Mossman
was a very good, but not great, racehorse who won four races and placed nine
times from 22 starts scoring a highlight win at two in the Group I QTC Classic
over 1600 metres in Brisbane.He mixed it with the best of his age at three finishing fourth in the Caulfield Guineas and Victoria Derby in the spring before chasing home Dignity Dancer in a string of feature races in the autumn, his best result a second in the Group I VRC Australian Guineas.
His owners Peter and Wendy Moran, who bred him at their Noble Park Stud in Queensland, were not bowled over by Hunter Valley farms looking to stand their classy colt, so they decided to give him a chance themselves.
He retired to Noble Park at a fee of $5,500 in 2000 and produced 79 foals from his first three crops in total.
Among those 79 foals were top class fillies Our Sweet Moss, Segments and Pure Energy, who rattled home for second to champion filly Miss Finland in the Golden Slipper.
From that point the Hunter Valley came calling and it was not long before Mossman was installed at Vinery Stud, but what should have been a launch pad to commercial success proved not to be as easy as was first thought.
In his first season for Vinery, Mossman suffered a severe attack of colic requiring surgery and ended that year with a foal crop of just 18 babies.
That lack of early numbers eventually impacted on Mossman, who was seen to
stall in terms of racetrack results and it was not until the emergence of his
2006 crop of foals which included his first Group I winner Ofcourseican as well
as high class Group horses Love Conquers All, Neeson, Second Effort and Triple
Elegance that he started to gather momentum again.This season in particular, Mossman has been on a roll with star sprinter and multiple Group I Buffering, New Zealand Oaks winner Miss Mossman, Group II winning three year-old Traitor and now a Golden Slipper winner in Mossfun.
Pure Energy's effort to finish second in the Golden Slipper in 2006 put her sire Mossman right on the commercial map and here we are eight years later and the Slipper has at last delivered the rising 19 year-old with his finest moment.
He has in fact been able to emulate the achievement of his own sire Success Express, who also produced a Slipper winner in Polar Success, who scored in 2003.
A complete outcross sire, whose pedigree is free of prevalent influences like Danzig, Mr Prospector and Star Kingdom, Mossman has been the champion of smaller breeders looking to get away from the Danehill blood and upgrade their stock at an affordable fee.
He has never stood for a fee greater than $27,500 and last year covered 61 mares at a fee of $19,800, his fertility managed closely by the team at Vinery to ensure he remains viable in his twilight years.
His own sire Success Express remains in good health at Vinery age 28, albeit
long retired from active stud duties, so there is reason to be optimistic
Mossman may have a few more years in him yet.The Slipper victory of Mossfun was a triumph for her breeders Ian and Linda Duckworth of Fairview Park Stud, who bred their champion in partnership with a few friends from their young unraced Snitzel mare Eye for Fun.
A stunning filly from day one, Mossfun caught the eye of one of the best judges in the business in Emirates Park CEO Trevor Lobb, who bought her at Inglis Easter last year for $85,000.
For those breeders, who like to follow nicks and crosses, it's probably worth noting that reigning Cox Plate winner Shamus Award is bred on a very similar cross to Mossfun, albeit in reverse being by Snitzel from a daughter of Success Express.
The nick in various forms has produced seven named foals, five have raced and three have won with stakes-placed Scratch Me Lucky the third winner, so there might be some food for thought there for mare owners!
For Mossman fans he does have three yearlings to be offered at Inglis Easter starting today.
Lot 308 Filly Mossman x Allow – Newhaven Park
From Group I BRC Queensland Oaks winner Allow.
Lot 454 Colt Mossman x Shalimar Sky – Fairview Park Stud
From the same vendor as Golden Slipper winner Mossfun and offered in Session II as she was. From stakes-winner Shalimar Sky.
Lot 520 Colt Mossman x Endearment – Torryburn Stud
From the same vendor as this season's Group II winning Mossman son Traitor. From the family of multiple US Group I winner Tappiano.
