CRACK New Zealand filly Testa Secret’s nose second in last weekend’s Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki put the full stop on what has turned out to be one of Testa Rossa’s most successful seasons yet in respect to his two-year-olds.
Testa Secret, trained by leading conditioner Kevin Gray, won on debut at Awapuni before claiming her first black-type success next time out in the Castletown Stakes at Foxton.
The Australian-bred filly is one of six individual stakes performing two-year-olds sired by Testa Rossa during the 2010/11 season joining Fontelina, Pane in the Glass, Cocky Raider, Continental Flyer and Redangelo.
“They are a fairly esteemed group of horses, particularly Pane in the Glass who was so unlucky not to have won at least one, probably two or three major races at the Sydney autumn carnival,” says Vinery’s Conor Phelan.
“She was the joint top filly on the two-year-old classifications with Elite Falls (More Than Ready) and together they were the first fillies home in the Slipper (Elite Falls), Sires and Champagne Stakes Pane in the Glass both times).”
All half dozen of Testa Rossa’s leading juveniles have genuine claims to even brighter prospects during their three-year-old season, particularly Pane in the Glass whose Guineas, even Oaks potential is patently clear.
Phelan also predicts a lucrative spring and following autumn for the David Payne trained Cocky Raider who was runner-up in both the Group 3 T.L Ballieu (1400m) and Listed Fernhill Stakes (1600m).
“He was the one finishing off the best in both races,” Phelan noted, “and he is always going to be hard to beat whenever he finds himself in fast-run 1400-1600m races.”
