TESTA Rossa mare Ortensia is preparing to bow out of racing in a blaze of glory with no fewer than five Group One races on her agenda.
Trainer Tony Noonan will kick-start her final campaign in next month’s AJC The Galaxy (1100m) at Randwick.
After that, Ortenisa will travel to Brisbane for the winter carnival to contest the BTC Sprint, Doomben 10,000, Stradbroke Handicap and Winter Stakes.
Noonan said the strategy is designed to increase the mare’s value as a broodmare as she heads off to stud this spring.
Ortensia’s biggest win to date came in Group Two WATC Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth on November 27.
It was her eighth win from 16 starts.
“It has always been the plan to start her late because she went to Perth,” Noonan told AAP.
“She had a bit of a break later than the spring horses and we felt this program would work in perfectly for her.”
Ortensia is one of 25 individual stakeswinners sired by Testa Rossa.
She is a member of one of the most successful families in the stud book alongside Bint Marscay, Filante, Kenny’s Best Pal, Bollinger, Hyperno, Benicio, Romneya, Stella Cadente and G2 Louisina Derby winner, Friesan Fire.
