Doing away with the adage of ‘comes in threes’, two has been the number du jour for the stable the last few weeks. The end of February brought a two-day provincial double, with stable runners BENFICA MAID and MO’S CROWN enjoying the wet conditions to chalk up first up victories in maiden and class one company respectively.

There were three notable second placings, giving RIVER BIRD and SPIRITUAL PURSUIT black type and the ever-consistent WHITE MOSS another pedigree update. At Randwick in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes, a front-running effort by SPIRITUAL PURSUIT saw her beat all but SWEET DEAL. Meanwhile the aptly named 2019 BOBS Horse of the Year RIVER BIRD took advantage of the heavy conditions at Rosehill in the Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes in a come from behind run to close within a length of winner STAR OF THE SEAS.

WHITE MOSS has kept the updates coming every run this prep, proving the model of consistency at the top level. Running third in her return in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes, she followed this up with a second-up second in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes and then a Group 1 fourth placing in the Canterbury Stakes – all under the guidance of regular jockey Kathy O’Hara.