Extra distance ideal for Mosinvader at Te Rapa
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • December 18th, 2025 3:53 PM • 4 min read
After a pair of creditable performances over 1300 metres in the first two starts of his five-year-old season, Mosinvader will step up to a more suitable distance in Saturday’s Lodge Real Estate Mile at Te Rapa.
The Vadamos gelding has had 13 starts for a win and six placings, with five of those seven top-three finishes coming over the 1600-metre distance of Saturday’s race. He was a maiden winner over 1600 metres at Pukekohe two years ago, while he recorded four minor placings at that trip last season including a third behind Orchestral and Mary Shan in the $1 million Aotearoa Classic at Ellerslie in January.
Mosinvader’s latest campaign has kicked off with 1300-metre assignments at Tauranga on November 1 and Ellerslie on November 29. He finished strongly for second at Tauranga, beaten by half a length by Glamour Tycoon, then ran fourth at Ellerslie with Vegas Queen, First Five and Frostfair beating him by a head, a head and a neck.
“He really boomed home in that first-up run, and then in the second we thought he might just have been looking for a little bit further,” co-trainer Andrew Scott told RaceForm.
“He still wasn’t beaten far though, and the runner-up has since come out and won the J Swap Sprint last Saturday, so the form out of the race looks strong.
“He goes very well over the mile and we believe he’s really looking for that distance now. He’s handling the quick summer ground well and is really pleasing us with his work, and we’re heading to Te Rapa where he’s performed well in the past. Matt Cartwright keeps the ride and we’re expecting him to run well.”
Mosinvader’s previous visits to Te Rapa included the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas over 2000 metres in January of 2024, where he ran second and was beaten by a short head by Ascend The Throne.
Mosinvader will be part of a talented Te Rapa contingent for Scott and his training partner Lance O’Sullivan, while the Wexford Stables team will also have a presence at Trentham with Lux Libertas tackling the Gr.2 Bramco Granite & Marble Manawatu Challenge Stakes.
“We really like a filly in our Te Rapa team called Ohope Wins,” Scott said. “She was a close fifth at Pukekohe last time and didn’t have all favours there. She’s learning her craft and we think she might have an exciting staying preparation in front of her.
“Smokeshow is another one, he’s shown good improvement with his first-up run under his belt, and we think he’ll be suited by switching back to a left-handed track.
“As for Lux Libertas, we know she’s a mare that can race well fresh, and the way she’s been working and trialling have suggested she’s capable of doing that again this weekend. We certainly thought it was well worth making the trip down to Trentham with her, and we’re expecting a good run.”
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