Gotta Kiss Nearing A Return To Racing

Classy filly Gotta Kiss has sailed through her first important trackwork test as she nears a comeback to racing.

Gotta Kiss pleased co-trainer Matt Hoysted with the way she finished off an 800 metre jump out at Eagle Farm last Tuesday.

“It was a hot heat with Isotope and Plutocrat in it and I thought she went sensational,” Hoysted said.

“She settled last in the field of four and I loved the way she just cruised to the line under her own steam. She’s come back in super order.”

Hoysted said Gotta Kiss will have another jump out in three weeks before she resumes in the Swiss Ace Plate (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast on November 21.

The filly is being aimed at the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January.

“She’ll have the traditional lead up running first up at the Sunshine Coast before the Mode Plate, then it’s either the Gold Edition Plate or Vo Rogue Plate into the Magic Millions Guineas fourth up,” Hoysted said.

The O’Dea-Hoysted stable elected not to pursue a spring carnival campaign with Gotta Kiss, preferring to keep the filly in Queensland for the summer carnival.

“She had a good break after a busy two-year-old season and she’s furnished into a lovely filly now, so very exciting times ahead with her,” Hoysted said.

Gotta Kiss won three of her eight starts as a juvenile, culminating in a fast-finishing second to Rothfire in the Group One J J Atkins (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June before a spell.

Growing up in Wangaratta in Victoria as a member of one of Australian racing’s most famous clans, Hoysted began his career with his uncle, Robert Hickmott, who at the time was the private trainer for leviathan owner Lloyd Williams.

Hoysted then spent five years with Mike Moroney at Flemington before moving to Queensland.

He landed a job with Tony Gollan at Eagle Farm prior to accepting a job as assistant trainer to Steve O’Dea four years ago and they entered into a training partnership early this month.