Te Akau Reign Continues

Matt Markham of The Press in Christchurch writes today:

Powerhouse racing outfit Te Akau continued a golden run in one of the South Island's leading three-year-old features on Saturday when Costa Viva claimed the listed Ray Coupland Stakes at Ashburton.

The Matamata stable has now won six of the last 11 editions of the $50,000 event, and could have had one more after 2009 initial winner Corsage was disqualified after running greenly in the straight and causing interference.

Costa Viva's win at the weekend followed in the footsteps of some high-flying stablemates Kings Chapel (2003), Sea Saint (2005), Princess Coup (2006), Kings Rose (2010) and last year's winner, Abidewithme.
Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman said the early season feature was one they targeted each year.

"It's well-known we like to aim our three-year-olds at this race," he said. "We've had some great success in it, and some of our winners have gone on to do great things after winning this race."

Backed into microscopic odds, Costa Viva was the only horse anyone wanted leading up the race and jockey Matthew Cameron didn't let the punters down with a heady ride.

The success went a step further for the stable with Chambord finishing a bold second for Jamie Bullard, giving Bridgman even more reason to smile.

"Both of them on what they have been doing, and what I've seen today, have Group I potential.

"The filly [Costa Viva], has looked good from early on, everything she's done from the first time she went to the trials, to her maiden win which was franked with an open class time has been impressive.

"And she took another step forward out there today [Saturday], so things are shaping well."

Bridgman will now point Costa Viva directly at the One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton on the final day of New Zealand Cup week.

She is ranked an $8 chance with bookmakers for the Group I behind Bounding and Spellbinder ($4), and Fantastic Honour ($6).

"She'll head straight to the guineas now, obviously it's a great field though and she will have to step up once more."

Bullard, who rode Chambord and picked up multiple placings on Saturday in his search of his 1000th winner, he is currently on 999, was ecstatic with the run of the big gelding. He told Bridgman upon returning to scale that greenness may have cost him winning the race.

"I run straight, and I think I go right past the filly [Costa Viva]," he said.