Viva Vibrant

The NZ Racing Desk reports:

Major second-up improvement is anticipated from NZB Filly of the Year Costa Viva in this Saturday's $A350,000 Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

The Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner impressed in her Queensland debut when she came from a wide barrier to finish fourth in the Gr.3 Gold Coast Guineas and she has thrived in the interim.

“It was a really good effort to make up that ground after she was caught up in a clump of horses,” Te Akau stable manager Jeff Dore said.

“She raced pretty quickly after she got there after the plane was delayed on the tarmac as well.”

Prepared by Jason Bridgman, Costa Viva and stablemate Precious Time are in the care of Te Akau's experienced assistant trainer Pam Gerard and she is very happy with the pair of them, saying that Costa Viva is really blossoming over there.

Costa Viva will take in the Queensland Guineas ahead of a return to Eagle Farm for the $A500,000 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) on June 21.

Precious Time, meanwhile, has also progressed well since she finished fifth under 59kg at the Gold Coast in her first Queensland outing.

“She was a bit stiff too and never really got clear in the straight,” Dore said. “She's in good fettle and will probably go into a Saturday race next.”

A $600,000 Karaka yearling raced by Christopher and Susanna Grace, Precious Time is in the final stages of her racing career that has so far netted four wins.  She is booked to visit the champion sire Redoute's Choice in the spring and it is a mating that would produce a blood brother or sister to the multiple Group One-winning Australian sprinter Lankan Rupee.