Moscatel may have bypassed the juvenile highlights of the Sydney Autumn Carnival, yet trainer Adrian Bott remains optimistic that Monday’s standout debut success could still lead to some prestigious Black Type status before the end of her two-year-old campaign.
The expensive Snitzel filly claimed a commanding victory in the $65,000 Kia Ora Bloodlines To Headlines 2YO Handicap (1100m) held at Kensington.
Her 4-1/2 length triumph arrived just over a week following the departure of the Carnival from Sydney, but Bott is now eyeing provincial standalone events or possibly heading further north with the half-sister to Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Eneeza.
“There is a two-year-old fillies race at Scone that she might be well-suited to, the Listed Woodlands Sakes,” Bott said.
“That’s the reason we wanted to be here today and that should give her enough time to get through to a race like that or, if not, we could look through to Queensland.”
The $200,000 Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) is scheduled for the second day of Scone’s feature carnival on Saturday May 16.
Moscatel appeared a genuine Stakes prospect during her debut demolition under jockey Tim Clark.
🔵⚫️ How’s that for a debut 🤩 MOSCATEL, a top priced @mmsnippets graduate, proved today that she’s well on her way to repaying her owners 🐎 She showed speed in abundance and has an extremely exciting future 👏🏼 🥂 @resracingky @clarkyhk pic.twitter.com/6bnyrGpdr3
— Gai Waterhouse AO (@GaiWaterhouse1) April 27, 2026
Having jumped cleanly, the $3 favourite maintained a strong position upfront and surged away in the early straight, ultimately powering to a clear win ahead of Sing Your Song ($12), who was three-quarters-of-a-length in front of third-placed Quarterback ($14).
“I thought I was the winner about three strides after the start, it was pretty much race over once she began like she did,” Clark said.
Moscatel, from Group 2 winner Sweet Sherry, entered the stable of Bott and Gai Waterhouse after the trio, including John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, invested $1.6 million for her at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
At first, Bott anticipated Moscatel could race before the Golden Slipper, though the trainer noted she has gained from additional maturation time.
“We bought her as a nice precocious type, but she’s just needed that little bit of time and we’ve always been happy to be patient with her, there’s been absolutely no rush,” he said.
“So she’s got herself here on her own merits today and I’m sure there’s a lot of upside off the back of today.”
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