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Stable monitoring Costa Viva; The Austrian Oak staying home; Williams to ride for Godolphin.

Stable monitoring Costa Viva

Group One winner Costa Viva will undergo further tests to try and pinpoint the reason for her last-start failure.

The daughter of Encosta de Lago disappointed in her four-year-old debut when she beat only two runners home in the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes at Hawera.

“She wasn’t herself on the day and we’re still not entirely sure what happened,” trainer Jason Bridgman said.

“She ran like something wasn’t quite 100 per cent, but soundness-wise she’s fine. We’ll do a few more tests after she gallops next time.

“We have to take it on the chin and move forward. Sometimes they can run a shocker for no reason and we’ll probably drop her back to a Rating 85 race to try and build up her confidence.”

Costa Viva was in outstanding form this time last year when she followed up her Listed Ray Coupland Stakes win with a defeat of Bounding in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.

The Austrian Oak staying home

A trip to Riccarton has been ruled out for the promising three-year-old The Austrian Oak.

Trainer Roger James said the Gr.1 Sothys NZ 2000 Guineas would be too stern a test at this stage of the Thorn Park gelding’s development.

“He’s too new and needs more experience.”

The Austrian Oak was well-supported at his Taupo debut and finished a sound fourth after he was tightened for room in the closing 200 metres.

He will make his second appearance on Wednesday at Te Aroha where Rory Hutchings is booked for the ride.

Williams to ride for Godolphin

Craig Williams’ hopes of adding the $A6 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup to his CV will rest with the European contender Cavalryman.

He has picked up the mount on the Godolphin runner following the suspension of English jockey James Doyle.

He was to have combined with stablemate Willing Foe at Flemington, but his ban resulted in James McDonald moving from Cavalryman with Williams taking that vacant ride.

Trained by Saeed Bin Suroor at Newmarket, Cavalryman was unplaced in the 2012 Melbourne Cup and he has been a dual Group Two winner during his three-start preparation for a return trip.