Tio Rossa Takes Out Strutt Stakes

Monday, 08 February 2010 07:45

Tio Rossa has given father-daughter training team Cindy and Colin Alderson a winner from their first runner in Tasmania, taking out the Strutt Stakes at Hobart.

The diminutive daughter of Testa Rossa was bred by Colin Alderson's wife Lyn who races her with a group including bookmaker Brian Mann and Tony Hart who also raced her dam, the Zabeel mare Tio Belle.

"I can't remember having another runner here which is funny really because my father (Colin) actually comes from Tasmania and we have cousins here," Cindy Alderson said.

Ridden by Craig Williams, Tio Rossa ($1.60 fav) settled forward of midfield and moved up stylishly to score by a length from Feerique with Danaupair Starlet the same margin away third.

Alderson said the half-sister to stablemate, Listed Geelong Classic winner The Tiger, arrived in Hobart a week ahead of the race and would return home to Cranbourne on Tuesday.

The Tiger was unplaced in Monday's Hobart Cup.

"We'll have a think about coming back for the Oaks, but Craig (Williams) just said she's a Moonee Valley horse so we might take her back there and drop her back to a mile (1600m) race," she said.

"We'll see how she pulls up and comes through this race.

The Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2200m) is at Launceston on February 21, while the other option is the Group Two Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley on February 26.

"She's handled this trip extremely well and she's racing with so much enthusiasm and professionalism at the moment so we'll keep going I suppose," Alderson said.

Tio Rossa has won four races, including two at Moonee Valley, and run second three times from nine starts.