Top mares headed to Australia; Cruel classic blow for Bohemian Lily; Boban confirmed Stradbroke runner; Sargent plotting Oaks upset;

Top mares headed to Australia

A trio of Group One-performed New Zealand mares have been sold to offshore interests.

Te Akau principal David Ellis has confirmed the sale of Costa Viva, Darci’s Dream and Spellbinder to Australia.

“Costa Viva has been sold to Coolmore and the China Horse Club and Darci’s Dream and Spellbinder have been bought by a small breeder in the Hunter Valley,” he said.

Costa Viva won the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas in 2013 with her stablemate Spellbinder finishing third while Darci’s Dream ran second in the Riccarton classic last year.

Cruel classic blow for Bohemian Lily

The New Zealand-bred and owned Bohemian Lily has been counted out of Saturday’s fillies’ feature at Doomben.

Injuries suffered in a freak incident on Friday morning forced her scratching from the $A500,000 Gr.1 Queensland Oaks.

“We couldn’t believe it - she was at the track and was walking past the treadmill when they fired it up and she took fright. She went sideways and cut her hock and elbow.”

Raced by Valachi principal Kevin Hickman, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Bohemian Lily will spell in Queensland before she returns for the Melbourne spring carnival.

Boban confirmed Stradbroke runner

Chris Waller will give Boban another shot at Group One glory with confirmation that the five-year-old will run in Saturday week’s $A2 million Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben.

"Boban has recovered well following his win in the Doomben 10,000 and has continued to please the stable through the week,” the New Zealander’s racing manager Liam Prior said.

"Although we concede winning the Stradbroke with the topweight and against some high quality opposition will be challenging, we feel that both the horse and the owners deserve the opportunity to win another Group One race with very good prize money on offer, and therefore it is our plan to run Boban in the Stradbroke Handicap.”

Sargent plotting Oaks upset

John Sargent has faith in his longshot $A500,000 Gr.1 Queensland Oaks contender Swift Lady.

The expatriate Kiwi trainer believes the O’Reilly filly’s stamina gives her an upset chance in the classic.

“She’s always given me the indication that she’s a genuine staying filly,” Sargent said. “It’s a race with lots of variables so anything could happen.”