One jockey not at all upset about weights not being raised in the Caulfield Cup is Sydney-based Winona Costin who will ride for the second time in the Group 1 handicap.
Costin finished fourth aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Bois D’Argent in last year’s race and will be looking to improve on that when she partners Positivity in the 2400m contest at Caulfield on Saturday.
“It was a huge thrill to run fourth and it was possibly the biggest thrill in my career,” Costin said.
The ability to ride at 50kg was one of the contributing factors in Costin securing the mount aboard Positivity who is prepared by Andrew Forsman who is no stranger to Caulfield Cup success, winning with Mongolian Khan in 2015 when in a training partnership with Murray Baker.
Costin spent time in Melbourne last year riding, predominantly, for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, but did ride some work for Forsman when he set up a stable at Flemington last year.
A family illness forced Costin back to Sydney, but she said her time in Melbourne had helped her mature as a person and rider.
Back in Sydney, Costin picked up a couple of nice rides in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and Group 1 The Metropolitan, both of which had 50kg, beating more home than what finished in front of her.
Costin said she was a little surprised to get the call up to ride Positivity.
“My manager works hard, and I did ride a little bit of trackwork for Andrew Forsman when I was in Victoria before,” Costin said.
“I do 50kg easy, so it was good to get the call.”
Positivity finished second in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March before making her way to Australia, running ninth in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks before winning the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville in May.
Returning from a spell, Positivity finished second first-up in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield before winning her way into the Caulfield Cup by taking out the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) on September 21.
Positivity’s last start before the Caulfield Cup, was finishing seventh in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 5.
Costin was not disappointed with the performance.
“She wanted to overdo it a little bit, but she’s very genuine and she kept coming,” Costin said.
“She’s very versatile and I’ll talk to Andrew on how to ride her, but I think she’ll be running a big race, especially with the light weight.”
