Following Gossip Girl’s near miss in the Group 3 SAJC Spring Stakes on Saturday, it will be up to international mare Ortensia to bring up another Group win for their sire Testa Rossa.
The Australian-bred 7YO mare Ortensia (Testa Rossa-Aerate’s Pick, by Picnicker) remains on target for Friday-week’s Gr1 Nunthorpe Stakes (5 furlongs) at York in the UK.
Subsequent to her recent 1.25-lengths win in the £100,000 Gr2 King George Stakes (5 furlongs) at Goodwood, trainer Paul Messara expressed his satisfaction at her progress.
“She’s in great form”. Messara claimed, “She came through her last race really well and we were happy with her work this morning. Her conditions came right at Goodwood and she showed how good she is”.
“The warmer weather has really helped her and I’m looking forward to running her at York.”
Meanwhile, closer to home, Gossip Girl set the speed for a high profile Spring Stakes Gr.3 in South Australia.
Gossip Girl jumped and worked to the front where she remained for most of the six furlong affair before drifting out in the straight under pressure. The Testa 6yo was still strong enough to hold off last season’s Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed over the concluding stages but was collared late by the fast finishing Happy Trails to finish second.
