Costa Del Magnifico left trainer Brent Shirley's Invercargill stables at 6am on Wednesday (5 April) bound for Victoria.

Named Southland Horse of the Year in 2016, the five-year-old will follow in the footsteps of Franco Ledger, winner of the same award in 2012 and 2013.

In December, 2014 Franco Ledger joined trainer Geoff Webster in the Victorian town of Bannockburn, about 23 kilometres from Geelong and 88 kilometres from Melbourne. During his stay, the entire won five races and nearly a quarter of a million in stakes, his best results being a group one win at Menangle (Bohemia Crystal) and second at Melton (Hunter Cup).

Those sorts of results would delight the connections of Costa Del Magnifico whose biggest win in New Zealand by prize money and prestige was the group three Invercargill Cup. It was also Franco Ledger's biggest but by the time he went he'd competed in nine group ones including three New Zealand Cups, and was seven years of age.

The only Group 1 test for Costa Del Magnifico came in last year's Easter Cup -for a fourth behind Locharburn, Smolda and Mighty Flying Mac – and at five, he heads across the Tasman as a relative youngster.

An early season virus put paid to the striking black entire's bid on last year's New Zealand Cup and he didn't return to the track until December. His two wins since have grossed him $5,500 and $4950, achieved respectively from handicaps of 50 metres and 35 metres. Such low returns and long handicaps prompted Shirley to look elsewhere.

Fair to say, Shirley is not a fan of the rating system.

“The poor horses are racing for more and the good horses for less.

 “More horses are going down in the ratings than up and the good horses are being forced out of the regions. There used to be eight or nine nice races down here for him, now it’s either race off long handicaps or go to Christchurch and face the top liners,” he said.

 “There are more opportunities in Australia,” said Shirley, who made the first move in the process that resulted in him losing his stable star. Franco Ledger was raced in partnership by the What Ever Syndicate. A positive report by the group's manager Brendon McIntyre on his experience during the Australian venture was key.

“Brendon said Geoff was very good to deal with, spoke very highly of him, and he did a good job with Franco Ledger,” reported Shirley.

Murray and Sandra Allen of Otatara own Costa Del Magnifico who is a son of the prolific broodmare Satire Franco. The mare is owned by Shirley's wife Raewyn and was loaned to the Allen’s at a time their own breeding activities weren't travelling that well. They will continue to race the stallion from Webster's stable.

“He's been a pleasure to have and won some nice races but if we kept racing him here off big handicaps, we could break his heart,” Shirley reflected.

Mac Henry