Va Va Veni adds to Costa haul at Ipswich
Sydney trainer Michael Costa’s best week in racing has continued with Va Va Veni winning at Ipswich.
Va Va Veni gave Costa his fifth winner in seven days in a rush of success that includes a Listed victory with Manaya in the Woodlands Stakes at Scone.
Warwick Farm-based Costa runs a satellite stable at the Gold Coast and Va Va Veni has been a worthy addition to his Queensland team with three wins in six starts since heading north.
Sent out the $2.15 favourite, Va Va Veni defeated Denoninator ($5) by 1-1/2 lengths with Panno Rossa ($5.50) taking the minor placing on Wednesday.
Trainer Rex Lipp’s patience in getting first starter Wine Barrel ($3) to the races paid dividends after a two-horse war with the favourite Cafe Terrace ($2.10).
Wine Barrel is the latest in a long line of smart horses to be produced by the broodmare Royal Shiraz, who Lipp trained to stakes success.
“He was very immature as a younger horse but when we got him back he has really bloomed. He has been ready to race for a month but things kept going wrong,” Lipp said.
“We went to Kilcoy and they called them off. Then he drew bad barriers. In fact I was half going to scratch him from barrier seven today but I thought he had to race.”
Former stakes-placed Sydney two-year-old Mr Cha Cha ($8) retuned to his best form with a win in the City of Ipswich Handicap.
“He ran second in the Black Opal Stakes and Canonbury Stakes but he has had wind problems,” trainer Brad Herne said.