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By Ray Hickson

An emotional trainer Annabel Neasham couldn't help but wonder what’s possible in the coming months after Mo’unga gunned down superstar Verry Elleegant to claim the season’s first Group 1, the $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m), at Randwick on Saturday.

The four-year-old announced himself as a potential spring star while Verry Elleegant lost no admirers in defeat and what about the returns of stayer She’s Ideel and Japanese import Keiai Nautique!

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

On the back of the win Mo’unga firmed into $6 favourite with TAB for the Group 1 $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m) in October and the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) is also firming as a major spring target.

“He’s in for a great prep, I don’t know where he will go now but I think we’ll have a fun spring,’’ Neasham said.

“I think he looked the winner a long way out but when he came up outside Verry Elleegant I knew he was going to be in for a top battle because she’s such a fighter as well.”

And a battle it was. Jockey Tommy Berry landed Mo’unga on the back of easing favourite Verry Elleegant in the run and waited until the 100m before sticking his head in front and he was able to repel any fightback.

Stayer She’s Ideel, first-up since the Sydney Cup, hit the line into third from last just ahead of Keiai Nautique, a full-brother to Fierce Impact making his Australian debut, with Cascadian and Think It Over right on their heels.

Mo’unga handed Neasham her first Group 1 win when he claimed the Rosehill Guineas in March while for Berry it was his 34th success at the top level.

After Zaaki's Doomben Cup win in the winter, Mo'unga took Neasham's tally to three and the win came just a few days short of one year to the day that she took a horse called Commanding Missile to Scone for her first runner as a trainer and went home a winner.

Earlier in the week Neasham indicated that whatever the four-year-old did in the Winx Stakes he would have plenty of improvement on after a quiet trial and a course proper gallop as his lead up work.

“He’s improved a hell of a lot from three to four,’’ she said.

“I was really confident looking at him in the parade ring today because I just thought he looked quite fit. A massive well done to the team, we’re doing it a bit tough out at Warwick Farm.

“It was a superb ride, so thank you to Tommy.”

The trainer also paid tribute to Mo’unga’s trackwork rider Joel Butler for his work with the horse under the awkward scenario created by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Meanwhile, Neasham's other stable star Zaaki is due to resume in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 4.

Verry Elleegant's jockey James McDonald was pleased with the mare's return after she carted the winner into the race and was only beaten half a neck.

“Good return. She tried very hard,” McDonald said.

All the results and replays from Saturday's Randwick meeting