Catching up with Annabel Neasham on two time G1 winning Mo’unga

We catch up with Annabel after her fantastic win with Mo’unga in the G1 Winx Stakes last Saturday.

Annabel, congratulations on winning the G1 Winx Stakes with Mo’unga (Savabeel), we’re pumped for your win!  This is your third Group 1 win in your first year since going out on your own, what does a win like this mean to you?

It means a huge amount, not just to me, but to the whole team. It’s a strange time at the moment with COVID and being in lockdown, so it really picked up the team at the weekend. The Rosehill Guineas was incredible, but I think seeing him win a weight for age race, and beating Verry Elleegant, one of the leading horses in Australia, was very special.

What is your first memory of Mo’unga? What impressed you then and how has that evolved into where he is today?

I first saw him when he was having a spell, and he looked terrific. He’s a beautiful, athletic horse, with a good head and superb temperament on him. He still had a very professional manner to him, and that’s something I love about him.

What do you like about him?

I really like the way he strengthened up from preparation to preparation and how he has developed from a 3-year-old to a 4-year-old. He has more muscle bulk now, and the one thing that makes him such a good horse is his turn of foot and desire to win.

What’s he like around the stables? Does he have any quirky habits?

He’s a very laid-back chap; if you didn’t know he was colt, you’d think he was a gelding. He has a wonderful nature to him.

Have you looked at Savabeel progeny before? What attributes would you say he has and would you consider having more in your yard?

I don’t have any other Savabeels in the stable but I’d love to have more. They are very versatile, and not just horses that get over ground. A lot of his good horses are 1400m to a mile horses.  They are strong at two, but keep developing as three and four-year-olds so they have good longevity to them.

What are the plans for Mo’unga this spring?

It’s currently undecided where he will go next. He’ll either head to the George Main or Makybe Diva and will then be on path for the Cox Plate or Golden Eagle.