Mossman five year-old Tiger Moss returned to form with a comfortable first-up victory in the Vet Associates Equine Hcp (1200m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The Matamata mare showed plenty of promise earlier in her career, however, co-trainer Andrew Scott said hard tracks had stymied her progress.  “She had a good break after her summer campaign and has had a nice build-up over the past couple of months,” he explained.

“We were quite confident of a good showing in the heavy going.  The Mossmans go alright in the wet and her work indicated she was ready.  We will aim to go through the grades before the tracks dry out as she doesn’t really handle the rock hard footing.”

Tiger Moss (5m Mossman – Just Platonic by Danehill Dancer) won her first two starts at Pukekohe and Ellerslie last year prior to being beaten two lengths in the G3 Breeders Stakes at Te Rapa.

Gerry Harvey sent her dam Just Platonic to his New Zealand base at Westbury Stud carrying the Mossman filly in June 2009.  The mare died after foaling a Swiss Ace filly in 2012.

Mossman has benefited from a breakout year with his Kiwi fillies – Miss Mossman won the G1 NZ Oaks and Telepathic crossed the Tasman to finish second in the G3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.

Telepathic is back at Donna Logan’s stable in Ruakaka after spelling at owner Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud in the Hunter Valley.

Miss Mossman has been back in work for 8 weeks but trainer Lance O’Sullivan has decided to bypass the Hawke’s Bay carnival.  She will target the Counties Cup – Waikato Cup double in November – December leading into the Ellerslie carnival.

O’Sullivan has taken over Miss Mossman’s training since John Sargent moved to Sydney, however, she is still being prepared out of the same box at Matamata.

TIGER MOSS