Aurelia Cotta ready to get back to winning
COMEBACK: SHE STARTED IMPRESSIVELY THEN LOST HER WAY
Dressed To Impress keeps improving.
Aurelia Cotta proved no match for Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara contender Taking the peace when she ran in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein on 7 April but a drop in class to a MR 90 Handicap over 200m less should be right up her street on the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday.
This three-year-old daughter of Ashaawes won her first two starts impressively and many people saw her as a contender for the fillies’ Classics. However, she lost her way and has taken a while to get back on track. Her form has been a bit of a mixed bag recently and she has had some good runs which have seen her finish a 3.15-length fourth against Majestic Mambo in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes and a four-length fourth behind Orchid Island in a Pinnacle Stakes.
Interspersed with these were some moderate runs – in the CTS 1600 and the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic.
Aurelia Cotta, named after the mother of Julius Caesar, comes into this race well drawn at No 2 which is a massive advantage on the Inside track. Apprentice Lyle Hewitson takes the ride.
Dressed To Impress is getting better with each run. Geoff Woodruff’s charge has raced just three times for a win on debut and two successive second places. This is her first run on the Inside track but based on her running style she should enjoy the course. Callan Murray takes the ride.
Top-weight Costa Da Sol has also run against some decent opposition and has to be considered. Trained by Chesney van Zyl for his father, Gavin, she has Keagan de Melo in the irons. Two runs back she finished three lengths behind Al Danza in a FM 92 Handicap over 1600m and the winner almost upset Nother Russia in the Empress Club Stakes last Saturday.