Last week the connections of Ortensia indicated their desire to suss out Brisbane as a winter option thanks in part to the BRC recent announcement of the ‘Australasian Challenge’.

The scheme rewards winners of selected events across Australia and New Zealand with an all expenses paid trip to the winter carnival as well as guaranteed entry to either the Stradbroke Handicap or Queensland Oaks.

The Telegraph Stakes is New Zealand’s qualification event for the Stradbroke Handicap and Guiseppina claimed the title on Saturday.

The horse upstaged Australian entrant Atomic Force and now has a free trip to the Stradbroke open to her if connections choose that route.

Trainer Steven Ramsay says the tempo of the Stradbroke would probably suit her.

“She races best with a fast speed and a chance to unleash in the final 400 metres,” Ramsay said.

“The Stradbroke’s I’ve seen are usually run like that. She would love the long Eagle Farm straight.”

He says the weather is a bit of a concern but his claims that winter is notoriously damp in Brisbane may be rejected by a few locals.

“My only concern is the weather. Sometimes it can be wet there in the winter,” he said.

There’s some water that needs to go under the bridge before then anyway starting with a 1400m weight for age race at Te Rapa in three weeks.

In the Telegraph she was more than a dozen lengths off the leaders with 600m to go but a lightning quick final sectional saw her reel in a game Atomic Force and hit the line with a margin to spare.