Australia Beckons

Costa Viva has won the NZ Bloodstock Filly Of The Year title, but her work for the season may not be over.

Miss Selby was the only filly who could overhaul Costa Viva for the award and though she tried gallantly in yesterday's Gr. 1 Wellfield NZ Oaks, she had to settle for runner-up to decisive winner Miss Mossman.

The second placing left Miss Selby on 19 points, 1.5 less than Costa Viva, who has been off the scene since finishing third to Moozoon and Miss Selby in the Gr. 3 Tiger Prawn Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham on January 25.

Trainer Jason Bridgman was thrilled to pick up his second NZ Bloodstock Filly Of The Year title within the last four years, following on from King's Rose in the 2010-11 season.

The title win was also the fifth for Te Akau Racing Stables, whose runs began when Mark Walker prepared Shikoba to win the series in 2005-06 and continued over the next two seasons via Princess Coup and Insouciant.

“It was a nervous time having put her out in January and waiting to see if she could hold on to win the series,” said Bridgman. “It's great to see her win it. She raced against the best about and deserves it.”

Bridgman was on track at Trentham yesterday watching stable hope Tiara contest the NZ Oaks, in which she finished 10th after being trapped wide throughout, and he says he wasn't taking much notice of Miss Selby in the running. “I was only worried about my own horse,” said Bridgman. “But I was nervous about the series.”

It was a similar anxious time to the one experienced by trainers Bev and Ken Kelso and owner Gary Harding last year before their filly Fix won the title. Fix had the lead and was spelling when the Oaks was run and Soriano, her only rival for the honour, contested the NZ Oaks but was unplaced.

Fix had won the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic and her connections had opted for the NZ Derby instead of the Oaks and came so close to pulling it off. Fix was narrowly beaten by Habibi in a thrilling finish.

It was the same scenario in 2010 when Katie Lee held on to win the series after her trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson also opted for the Derby in preference to the Oaks.  And for Graeme Rogerson, the ill-fated Taatletail won the series in 2003-04 despite her career ending early on a winning note in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.

Costa Viva has been back in work with Bridgman for a couple of weeks since a five-week break.

“She pulled up sore after the Desert Gold Stakes and had a good break,” said Bridgman. “She looks enormous. Seldom do you have the luxury of putting them out for five weeks at this time of year.

“We'll give her a couple weeks more of work, up to a bit of three-quarter pace, to make sure she is 100 per cent before we entertain the idea of taking her to Brisbane.

“Really a mile (1600m) is her limit and 1400 is her pet distance, though she can sprint well fresh at 1200. For that reason we'd look at the Queensland Guineas, which is over 1400, and the Tiara, the Group One fillies and mares race, which is also over 1400.

“If she did go over she'd have to go well in the Queensland Guineas to go on to the Tiara. She'd obviously have a lead-up beforehand.”

Costa Viva is already a Group One winner, having beaten Bounding in the NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas last November, and her connections are keen to add Australian black-type to her record.

Credit - The Informant