La Bella Diosa in Surround success

Winx stole the show at Randwick on Saturday but there was plenty of promise in the win of Kiwi filly La Bella Diosa on the undercard.

Winx, the daughter of Kiwibred mare Vegas Showgirl, surpassed the great Kiwi-bred Phar Lap’s sequence of 14 straight victories with her win in the Chipping Norton Stakes.

It was a win that nearly wasn’t, as expat trainer Chris Waller contemplated a start on a wet Sydney afternoon.

Waller wasn’t alone in worrying about a wet track.

Visiting New Zealand trainers Matt and Mandy Brown had similar concerns around the filly known as La Diosa at home.

Under her Australian moniker,La Bella Diosa, the Rangiora star took out the Surround Stakes first-up in Australia.

‘‘We were a bit worried,’’ Matt Brown said. ‘‘We’ve always considered her a fast track horse.’’

The 3-year-old ran out a decisive winner of Riccarton’s 1,000 Guineas at her last start in November and has undergone a carefully planned campaign with her grand final the AJC Oaks back at Randwick on April 6.

Settled in midfield in the Surround by expat jockey Jason Collett, she kept to the inside on the home turn and galloped on strongly the heavy conditions.

’’We weren’t really sure she would handle a track like that but obviously she did so it is all good,’’ Matt Brown said. ‘‘Especially somewhere like here where the conditions can change so quickly.

‘‘Jason said she just flew through the ground so now we don’t have to worry if there’s any rain about for future races.’’

Her next run will be the A$200,000 Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on March 10.

Collett will be out suspended so connections had a Sunday afternoon meeting to decide on a replacement.

‘‘Kembla Grange is the race that really suits her programme,’’ Brown said. ‘‘Our number one rider choice was Hugh Bowman but he will likely be committed to Omei Sword [second in the Surround].

‘‘We will throw a few names around and see who we come up with, there are obviously a number of top riders over here.’’

After Kembla Grange she will press on to her Group I targets, the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and the Oaks (2400m).

Her trainers were thrilled how the So You Think filly came through the run on a wet track.

‘‘She ate up, drank up and was stretching out well this morning [Sunday],’’ Brown said.

‘‘She’s gone to another level, she’s definitely got stronger and is more athletic.