Racing: Rising to the occasion

Rising Romance wins the Bloodstock Royal Stakes. Photo / Natalie Slade

It's a long shadow Rising Romance is trying to match, but she's getting closer.

Co-trainer Donna Logan says Habibi left a big hole in the Ruakaka stable when she was sold to the United States.

"This filly's emergence is making Habibi's absence a fair bit softer."

The Logans had Rising Romance in both the Royal Stakes and Championship Stakes and Donna Logan said she was keen to run her against the males in the latter.

"But the barrier draws [14 in the Championship and 7 in the Royal Stakes] dictated which race we went for, but I'd have loved to have had a crack at the other race. I suppose you could say we went for the softer option."

A clash between Rising Romance and Show The World would have been interesting.

Logan said it made sense to follow the same path that Habibi trod, which led to victory in the Derby last March.

Being by Ekraar from a mare by Postponed, you might have expected that Rising Romance would manage a rain-affected track, but winning rider Michael Coleman said the filly was not happy. "She wasn't handling it going out of the straight the first time so I moved her out a bit wider and she seemed happier."

Rising Romance burst clear early in the home straight and held on to win comfortably by one and a half lengths even though Lucia Valentina made a brave effort to chase her down from four or five lengths away.

It was a disappointing carnival for the owners of Lucia Valentina, but rider Leith Innes offered some comforting words.

"She'd have won the first day if she hadn't fallen and she'd have won today if it hadn't rained. Don't be disappointed."