Michael Costa sweating on Scone scratching
While not wishing ill on anyone else, trainer Michael Costa is anxiously waiting for a scratching at Scone to give two-year-old Manaya a start.
Costa celebrated a win at Canterbury with Viaductress on Wednesday before his thoughts turned to Manaya, the emergency for Saturday’s Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m).
A half-sister to multiple Group One winner Hot Danish, Manaya is ready for her debut and Costa wants it to come sooner rather than later.
“She’s been nominated for a race at Wyong on Tuesday and there’s a race coming up at Canterbury in two weeks but we really don’t want to wait that long,” Costa said.
“She’s ready to go now.
“Hopefully she has got half the ability of Hot Danish.”
A $65,000 yearling by Hinchinbrook, Manaya has so far shown her talent with wins in her two barrier trials by a combined 15 lengths.
Her three-year-old stablemate Viaductress lived up to her $3.60 favouritism with a one-length win over Echo Queen at Canterbury and is likely to return for another fillies race in two weeks.