Testa Rossa starred at the Rosehill and Flemington meetings on the weekend and the momentum can continue with Ortensia in the G2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley this Friday night.

The Vinery resident completed a double with promising youngsters Pane In The Glass (AJC Inglis Classic) and Redangelo (VRC Summer Heroes Raceday Stakes) last Saturday.

Pane In The Glass (2f Testa Rossa – Lyrics by Bluebird) is now a clear cut favourite for the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 26.  

Redangelo (2c Testa Rossa – Angel Of The South by Agnes World) is trained by last year’s Golden Slipper winning team of Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra.  He is currently quoted at $41 for the Blue Diamond while Pane In The Glass is the $4.60 pre-post favourite with TAB Sportsbet.

Ortensia is set to break her duck at her fourth visit to Moonee Valley in the G2 Australia Stakes under lights this Friday.  Trainer Tony Noonan has freshened her up since running fifth to J J The Jet Plane in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on December 12.

Ortensia (5m Testa Rossa – Aerate’s Pick by Picnicker) was unlucky last time out at the Valley in the 2009 G2 Moir Stakes.  She was disappointed for a run but was beaten less than a length into fourth spot behind Apache Cat, Mic Mac and Bank Robber

As a three year-old, she was a half-neck second to Dan Baroness in the G3 Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley.

“Ortensia has been out of quarantine for nearly two weeks now.  We were able to keep her ticking over in Hong Kong and then at Werribee,” Noonan said.  “She didn’t win the big prize in Hong Kong but has come though really well and looks super.”

Noonan rates Ortensia as the best horse he’s trained.  The Mornington trainer bought her for $50,000 at the 2007 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale for owners Alister Fraser and Emma Ridley.

Ortensia is from an unraced half-sister to G3 Melbourne winners Intelligent Star (Picnicker) and Blaze The Turf (Blazing Sword).  She has helped Testa Rossa maintain a magnificent 71% winning strike rate.