Mooneista heading to Ascot following Greenlands run

Filly pushed Brad The Brief close.

Jack Davison’s Mooneista has booked her ticket to the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot after finishing the runner-up in the Greenlands Stakes on Saturday.

The filly has been highly consistent this term so far, finishing second at Cork before a third-placed finish in the Curragh’s five-furlong Woodlands Stakes in late April – both of which are Listed races.

A return to the Curragh for the Greenlands represented a step back up to a six-furlong trip for the bay, who was beaten only half a length when carried right across the track by the winner in the closing stages.

Davison had made an entry for the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot ahead of the Curragh assignment and the filly will now head to Berkshire for the five-furlong Group One on the opening day of the meeting.

“It was a super run, probably a lifetime best,” he said.

Mooneista winning the Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes
Mooneista winning the Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

“A stiff five furlongs is going to be exactly her cup of tea and she’ll get that in the King’s Stand, they should go a proper gallop which will hopefully bring her right into contention when it matters. She’ll go there all being well.

“She’s very, very consistent. She’s improving, getting bigger and more confident. I’d say the best is yet to come.”

Mooneista’s successes are made all the more significant as she is owned and was bred by Davison’s parents, who also owned her dam, Moon Unit, when she beat Dandy Man, Mooneista’s sire, in the 2006 Woodlands Stakes – a race Mooneista herself won last season.

“This calibre of horse is very hard to come by, even ignoring the sentimental value of her, I’m very lucky to have her and it’s an extra dimension with her being a homebred,” the trainer said.

“On a personal level for me as a trainer, hopefully an up and coming trainer with only 30 horses, she’s out there and she’s been flying the flag for us so she’s a very important cog in the wheel here.”

Mooneista travelled over to Berkshire for the Royal meeting last season, finishing sixth in heavy ground in the Commonwealth Cup in a run Davison is hoping will be bettered this time around.

“Back there it was six furlongs on heavy ground and she didn’t leave anything out there, I’m really excited to run her over a quick five, especially considering that she is improving all the time. She’s really enjoying things,” he said.

“I really look forward to running her in behind a very strong pace, she’s a very strong traveller over five furlongs.

“She’s very quick and she’s going to get the trip well. It would be fantastic if she could give a good account of herself and not be too far away.”

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