A yearling out of a mare well-known to Australian racing has been a star performer on Monday’s first day of the JRHA’s Select Sale in Japan.

The colt by Maurice from four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen was easily the standout performer in the first half of Day 1’s trade, getting to 450 million yen – the equivalent of AU$4.8 million – before being knocked down to Danox Co Ltd.

That is $1.8m more than the most expensive yearling sold in Australian this year; the brother to Sunlight (Zoustar x Solar Charged), who was offered at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Mosheen, a daughter of Fastnet Rock and the Stravinsky mare Sumehra, counted four Group 1s among her eight wins from 18 starts.

After a nine-length romp in the VRC Oaks (2500m) in the spring of 2011 she returned the following the autumn to defeat the boys in the Australian Guineas (1600m) and Randwick Guineas (1600m) before winning the Storm Queen Stakes (2000m).

She won the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) in the spring of her four-year-old season but after just one further start was retired and sold to Japan’s Northern Farm, who offered the Maurice colt at the Select Sale.

Mosheen has produced three winners in Japan, including multiple Group winner Primo Scene, who is by Deep Impact.