Last season’s leading Sydney apprentice Winona Costin proved her fitness at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with three rides as she gears up to partner Pearls in Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Apprentice Winona Costin will ride Pearls. above, in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Costin has a rough last month after being involved in a four horse pile up at Canberra on February 21 and then at the same track last Sunday was thrown from Layo Layo in the mounting yard prior to the running of the 1000m Quality Handicap.
The young apprentice was left battered and bruised after Sunday’s mishap but was able to fulfil her engagement at Warwick Farm last Wednesday.
“I’ve got hoof marks from my backside to my armpits. I was very lucky, the horse rolled on me,” Costin said after the second Canberra incident.
Even though the tough female jockey is walking with a slight limp, she said that it didn’t impede her riding action.
“But when I’m on the horse I feel 110 per cent,” Costin told AAP.
Costin is very excited to be riding Pearls in a Group 1 race for the powerful Godolphin stable and has been putting in plenty of homework heading into the race.
“I’m very excited. I’ve drawn a really nice barrier and a really nice horse for a great stable,” Costin said.
“I’ll be doing my homework on her – by the time the day gets round, it’ll be like I’ve already sat on her.”
Pearls has had two runs back from a spell and is coming off a last start fourth to stablemate Ghisoni in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 27.
The Exceed And Excel filly is the winner of two of her six race starts and includes a victory in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick during the 2015 Sydney Spring Carnival.
In early betting for the Coolmore Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au Pearls is rated as one of the outsiders of the field at $26 while the undefeated Ghisoni heads the market order at $4.60.
Coolmore Classic market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Ghisoni, $5.50 Azkadellia, Solicit, $10 Amicus, $12 Politeness, Telephatic, $14 Peeping, Zanbagh, $15 Lucia Valentina, Tinto, $18 Slightly Sweet, $26 Pearls, $34 Vergara.
