What has happened to 2016 Thousand Guineas winner La Diosa?
THEY say form is temporary, class is permanent, but that might not be the case the La Diosa.
The four-year-old New Zealand mare (known as La Bella Diosa) in Australia, won the 2016 Thousand Guineas at Riccarton last season before travelling across the Tasman and winning the Group 2 Surround Stakes, but what’s gone wrong since?
The daughter of So You Think hit a purple patch of form last season which included a group one, group two and two listed-race wins in succession, but that’s where the run stopped for connections.
La Diosa has had five starts since that victory in the Surround Stakes. It finished 19th of 19 runners in the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes before running ninth of 12 runners in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes two weeks later.
Another two-week break was given to La Diosa before heading to the Group 1 ATC Oaks where it again disappointed by running last, some 78 lengths behind fellow Kiwi Bonneval.
It was time to return home to the greener pastures of New Zealand for trainers Matt and Mandy Brown, where it took time off throughout the winter to mature before lining up in two trials in September.
Now a four-year-old, the mare wasn’t asked to do much in its trials with Chris Johnson in the saddle, but there was plenty of expectations when lining up at open handicap level at Riccarton earlier this month.
The same La Diosa wasn’t on show and punters who took the $3.20 got burned, but we were forgiving of that effort fresh-up after a lengthy overseas campaign.
We weren’t so forgiving second-up at Riccarton on Saturday where the $2.80 favourite at Neds.com.au dropped to the tail of the field and only battled home to finish fourth behind Son of Maher.
Following the run on Saturday, we spoke to co-trainer Matt Brown who was more upbeat about the performance.
“She pulled up really well and we were more than happy, it was a big run,” Brown said. “It’s hard to make ground at Riccarton with the rail out that far and Racha (Cuneen) was rapt with her.
“Hopefully she’s back on track.”
Brown put the dip in form down to a long winter, but he’s predicting much better results in the near future.
“She’s just taken a wee while to get back. We had a long winter over here and she’s on the way up,” he said.
“She’s looking for a mile now, that’s what the run today was for.
“She was a wee bit dour, but she got running the last bit.”
Cup week is looming at Riccarton next month and Brown will likely line up La Diosa in the Couplands Mile.
“The Couplands Mile during Cup week is where she’ll go. We just need a decent track for her,” Brown added.
Based on what Brown has said following Saturday’s run at Riccarton, we’re prepared to give La Diosa another chance, but it’s on thin ice to be included in our tips.