Mamounia created a slice of history at Caulfield on Saturday and more could beckon with Godolphin to now work out where to next for the promising staying filly.
The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro became the first filly to land a spot on the Elvis Thurgood Galilee Series Final honour roll in the 12-year history of the race when she proved too strong for her rivals in the $200,000 Listed event.
She did so after finishing third as $5.50 favourite in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) on a Heavy tack at Randwick and trainer James Cummings now has plenty of options at his disposal.
Mamounia was promoted to the $8 line in TAB’s market on the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide on April 30, while June’s Queensland Oaks (2400m) is another Group 1 option.
There is also the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on Anzac Day or the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m), also in Adelaide, in May.
“I think any staying race was to contend she’d be a factor,” Godolphin’s Melbourne representative Sean Keogh said.
Mamounia’s Galilee Final win came via a shrewd ride by Jamie Kah, who found herself surrounded by horses for the first 2000m of the event but was determined to keep the back of her main dangers, which paved the way for her to work her way into the clear at the top of the straight.
The job for the $2.50 favourite was then to run down The Cunning Fox, whom she followed into the straight, which she did before holding a three-quarters-of-a-length margin over the $6.50 second favourite on the line.
Fearentless ($14), the only other filly in the field of 12, worked home to grab third, one length away.
Kah, who also ride Mamounia in the Adrian Knox Stakes, suggested that if Cummings does want to test at a higher level it might be best to do so wherever the tracks might be softest.
“I think she’s probably going to prefer it a bit softer than these tracks. She loved it in Sydney and today she hit the front and just shortened stride a few times.
“She was obviously too good. She ran a super race but I reckon she’s going to appreciate a little more give in the track.”