A half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Hot Danish, Manaya could target the Golden Rose Stakes 2016 this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival according to her trainer Michael Costa.
Woodlands Stakes winning filly Manaya could target September’s 2016 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Racecourse. Photo: Steve Hart.
Costa has ruled out races like the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and Melbourne’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield this October, but has kept a Group 1 run on the cards for his nicely-bred daughter of Hinchinbrook.
Two-year-old Manaya shares a dam, Hot ‘N’ Breezy, with $2.33 million earner Hot Danish and Costa hopes the up-and-comer can prove even half as good as her since-retired sibling.
After taking out her two opening trials in April and May by over seven lengths each, the hype was on Manaya early for her race debut at Scone on May 14.
She didn’t disappoint and won the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) by 1.5 lengths kicking off her career in the best way possible.
The Warwick Farm-based Costa is now weighing up spring options with the progressive filly who he said could be aimed at the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 10.
Only three fillies have beaten home the boys in the Golden Rose Stakes in the past 30 years with On Air (1997), Dandify (2000) and most recently Forensics (2008).
Manaya had a three week break out in the paddock after her Woodlands Stakes win and has thrived in that time, putting on 50kg according to Costa who welcomed her back to the stable on Tuesday.
“She went out 484kg and she has come back 532kg, which is very pleasing considering she hasn’t really had that much time away,” he told Racing Victoria.
“She spent three weeks on the water walker so never really got completely turned out but she has freshened up and is in great shape.”
Ahead of a possible Golden Rose run, Costa is looking at racing Manaya first-up in the $175,000 Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 20.
“It is only eight weeks away so we may be racing against the clock but that is where I’d like to kick off with her,” he said.
“She is the type of filly that could come to hand quite quick but if she isn’t ready for that there are plenty of different options for a three-year-old filly in the spring.
“I don’t want to stretch her to a mile in the spring, it might be something we look at next preparation but at the moment I think she is best suited in sprint races up to 1400m.
“So at this stage I’m not really looking at races like the Flight Stakes or Thousand Guineas.
“We could potentially look at something like the Golden Rose before heading to Melbourne but that is all dependant on how she comes up and whether she suggests she is capable of being competitive in that grade.”
Current futures Golden Rose Stakes odds at bookmakers around Australia have the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Golden Slipper winner Capitalist as the top fancy.
The next in all-in Golden Rose betting include David Vandyke’s ATC Sires Produce Stakes winning All American filly Yankee Rose who also ran second in the Slipper and the Mick Price-trained Blue Diamond champion Extreme Choice.
Official 2016 Golden Rose Stakes nominations close on September 5.
Before then make sure you’ve got an open and ready to go at the homes of Odds Boost – Ladbrokes.com.au!
