Costa a king in Hong Kong
MICHAEL Costa has returned from a whirlwind trip to Hong Kong where he was treated like a rock star to chase a win at his home track on the Gold Coast.
Costa joined his biggest client, Orbis Bloodstock, in their home of Hong Kong recently to experience what racing had to offer overseas.
The emerging star of Queensland racing said it opened his eyes to the lucrative world of Hong Kong racing.
“I probably wrecked it for myself because the red carpet was rolled out and everything was done for me,” Costa said.
“I was treated like a king. I would never be able to go back and do it any other way. It was a really good experience.
“The trainers and jockeys are treated like rock stars, it’s completely different to here.
“They just love racing. The money they get through punting is massive. On a normal Wednesday meeting it was millions and millions more than we do here.”
Costa will have four-yearold mare Cruz De Vega jumping from barrier two in today’s Fillies and Mares Class 3 Handicap (1400m) at Aquis Park.
It will be the second run of the mare’s preparation following a third-place finish on the Gold Coast on May 8.
“She is looking good and ran super first-up,” Costa said.
“We had her nominated for a few races but we got terrible luck with barriers over the last week or two and I think she has drawn three wide gates in a row.
“We had to run her last Wednesday at the Gold Coast. She went back to last and then stormed home and it was a really eye catching run.”