Winona Costin pulls off hit-and-run mission with Philipsburg at Doomben before meeting abandoned

Visiting jockey Winona Costin had one ride at Doomben and she sure made it count before the meeting was abandoned.

Jockey Winona Costin steers Philipsburg to victory in a thrilling finish in a Benchmark 80 Handicap over 2200m at Doomben on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

Melbourne Cup jockey Winona Costin pulled off a successful hit-and-run mission in Brisbane on Saturday – just 24 hours after winning the Orange Cup – before heavy rain and lightning forced the Doomben meeting to be abandoned.

Costin travelled up from Sydney with trainer James Ponsonby to claim a Benchmark 80 Handicap over 2200m in a thrilling finish on Philipsburg.

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The seven-year-old gelding edged out So You Are, with Aiden coming in third, on a Soft 7 track later downgraded to a Heavy 8 in wet and windy conditions.

Only one more race was held – a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1615m) won by Jumeirah Beach – before racing officials decided to call off the meeting due to the wet weather that has plagued southeast Queensland this autumn.

“He’s an older horse now and he sort of just rides himself,“ the 30-year-old Costin said of Philipsburg.

“He saved a bit of momentum and I just went with him. He gutsed it out in the end, pinned his ears back and fought for it.”

Philipsburg wins well at Doomben! @James_Ponsonby_| @Costin_Winona | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/TrUjMaxZWR

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

The victory came on the back of Costin saluting on the Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse-trained Campaldino in the 2100m Orange Cup on Friday.

“It was good to get the job done there (in Orange) and even better to get the job done today,” Costin said.

“He (Philipsburg) is one of my favourites and I’ve ridden him throughout his whole career and I’ve won a couple of times on him at Warwick Farm.

“I thought it was the perfect race for him so when James said he was bringing him up, I was more than happy to come up and ride him.”

Costin said she would return to Sydney on Saturday night before getting back in the saddle at Scone on Monday.

She battled shocking concussion symptoms earlier in her career when she struggled to sleep and lost almost all her memory.

But she eventually recovered to tick off a career goal, riding in a Melbourne Cup last November when she steered 100-1 roughie Positivity for trainer Andrew Forsman to 20th place.

Winona Costin was keen to travel to Brisbane to ride Philipsburg. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

She will likely ride Philipsburg in Brisbane soon because Ponsonby said he planned to run the veteran in a Benchmark 90 (2200m) at Eagle Farm next week.

“He’s been very lucky getting the win today, beating a horse (So You Are) that looks like it’s on the way up,” Ponsonby said.

“I just thought that we got in so well on the weights (52kg). It made a lot of sense and I can spend school holidays up here with my (four) kids.”

Meanwhile, Dragonne Rouge marked herself as a 2026 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas contender after grinding out a courageous win in the 1110m 2YO Handicap.

The Shaun Dwyer-trained filly wore down the $1.90 favourite Get Ready Lass in the straight to post her second victory from as many starts, with Milestone finishing third.

Part-owner Brad McMahon nominated the MM 3YO Guineas in January on the Gold Coast as the long-range target for the daughter of Dracarys.

“She’ll head wherever Shaun says but I’m sure we’d like to get her out to 1300 or 1400m,” McMahon said about Dragonne Rouge, who costs just $25,000.

“Maybe the (3YO) Magic Millions, that’s where we might try and go. It’s a long-range plan.

“She’s got a lot of learning to do but she’s done well.”

Originally published as Winona Costin pulls off hit-and-run mission with Philipsburg at Doomben before meeting abandoned