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| Staff Writer |
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The new Master at Jebel Ali Stables is a man who knows that complete commitment is what it takes to achieve success. He also knows that passion and devotion to all aspects of life are the keys to life.
Speaking with me from his base with the Jebel Ali racing team I congratulated him on the newest addition to his young family, Mila May.
The gorgeous little daughter, his first, came just in time for him to start his latest challenge – a training mission in the UAE.
“We have three young boys already. So, the timing of it all at the start of the season with plenty going on really was special.
“I left the maternity ward to come to the first meeting here.
“And it was a very good weekend to have our first daughter to add to the team of young boys we have at home and get a double at the first meeting as well – it was very enjoyable!”
Growing up in Western Sydney and with the Hawkesbury track close by Costa understood the horse-dense population that called the region home.
Although he did not have any family ties to racing or horses, he developed a passion early on which has only grown throughout his career.
“From about three or four years of age I discovered my love for horses – I used to ride ponies as much as I could and went to work for a few trotting stables in my early teens just to learn the basics.
“I really emersed myself and had a real laser focus on the one thing, horses, and it went from there.
“I wasn’t interested in anything else – I knew I wanted to work with horses.
“It’s really something if you could bottle up the emotion when I look at a horse. It’s just something that I feel when I am in their presence of them.
“I think they are the most amazing animal and it’s just that love and passion I have for them,” said Costa.
A 16-year-old Costa would then begin work with a thoroughbred stable while he started studies in Equine Sciences which then progressing into riding track work while still at school.
It is this experience firsthand working with horses that would offer up opportunities for him after leaving school for bigger and better things.
“I went to a racing stable at Hawkesbury where I began riding track work and made the move to Randwick from there,” he said.
His career has seen him prepare over 1500 starters in Australia with close to 300 winners and race earnings of over A$8.2 million.
However, Costa remains humble and understands it did not come overnight for the former Gold Coast-based trainer.
“It took a bit to get to that amount of winners.
“I was training for a decade in Australia when we kicked off with one trial horse and it was a really big slog where we only had one or two horses for a season and built it up from there.
“It began as slow and organic growth. But for the last couple of seasons in Australia, we have had the best winning strike for the season before we came over here.
“We went from that point buying at the bottom of sales through to being a highly respected stable in the country – so it definitely took time,” said Costa who now trains out of the Jebel Ali stables for Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The move was not one taken lightly.
“It definitely wasn’t an easy decision to come to Dubai.
“It was never on the cards either – what was on the cards was building and continuing to become the greatest stable in Queensland. We knew it was only a matter of time for us to really be in that kind of position.
“I was a little cold on the idea to come over. But after a few calls to the team here my wife and I came over at the end of February.
“We met with the team who told us what they wanted and what the role would entail – I was very confident then that even though it was a tough decision, we had to come and take on the challenge.
In his first season with the stable, he is excited about the possibilities and potential of his starters but admits he is still learning.
“I've now been to all of the tracks, but we are still finding our feet.
“I have not been here for a carnival; yet but I think there is a beautiful opportunity, and I am excited to see what happens over the next decade of racing here in the UAE.
“I really pinch myself every morning coming in here – I really think I am one of the luckiest trainers in the world,” said Costa.
Having been based on the Gold Coast in Australia before the move Costa said that although the fundamentals are the same there were some differences between the two when it came to the sport.
“The fundamentals are definitely all the same and although we are still learning I have been able to speak to a lot of different people whom you would say are ‘dirt track experts’ – and there are a lot of conflicting views on it.
“The same thing anywhere is to have your horses fit and well.
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“The main difference when racing on the dirt is that there really is nowhere to hide. They really have to be rock-hard fit so that is something you may get away with at home on the turf. You could plan out your programs to attack first up but with the short season here you only have a certain number of suitable races to prepare for, so you have to be ready,” he said.
After making the move he lured trusted and reliable hoop Jean Van Overmeire from Australia to join him on this campaign forging a partnership that has grown from a friendship.
“Just starting with riding abilities, he is an outstanding jockey.
“I really believe if he gets the opportunity here across the carnival, he can really match it with the big boys – so I am excited to see that from him.
“As a relationship, he is just a great human being. He is determined and hungry – there really isn’t a bad bone in his body.
“I’m really blessed that we were able to land him and excited for what we can achieve this season.
“I also trust that he will come back next year and the next and we will be able to take the stable onto bigger and better things.
“It really is about the team you have behind you - it’s definitely about having the right people on the bus,” he said.
The trainer also spoke of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highly and respects the way he works in partnership with the team.
“One of the greatest things about His Highness is that he has really empowered all of our decisions. When he selected me for the position, he had complete trust in what I can do.
“In all of the conversations we have had he has been extremely knowledgeable about the horses and pedigrees, and we have discussed great plans going forward.
“The greatest thing is that he has really let me get stuck in and even though we are in a rebuilding stage since I arrived. It is going to take one or two years for us to get to where we want to be.
“I’m so thankful he does empower us to make those decisions and have those discussions that will help us get the stable back to its glory days.”
Returning to those glory days gradually will take continued success and the trainer has some prospects in which he sees great potential for this season and beyond.
“I think a big reason they got me to come train here with the stable we have inherited is that they have had a couple of quiet years, there were only four winners from this stable last season for example,” he said.
The stable currently has 67 horses with more recently purchased as well as new arrivals.
“The main difference when racing on the dirt is that there really is nowhere to hide. They really have to be rock-hard fit so that is something you may get away with at home on the turf. You could plan out your programs to attack first up but with the short season here you only have a certain number of suitable races to prepare for, so you have to be ready,” he said.
After making the move he lured trusted and reliable hoop Jean Van Overmeire from Australia to join him on this campaign forging a partnership that has grown from a friendship.
“Just starting with riding abilities, he is an outstanding jockey.
“I really believe if he gets the opportunity here across the carnival, he can really match it with the big boys – so I am excited to see that from him.
“As a relationship, he is just a great human being. He is determined and hungry – there really isn’t a bad bone in his body.
“I’m really blessed that we were able to land him and excited for what we can achieve this season.
“I also trust that he will come back next year and the next and we will be able to take the stable onto bigger and better things.
“It really is about the team you have behind you - it’s definitely about having the right people on the bus,” he said.
The trainer also spoke of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highly and respects the way he works in partnership with the team.
“One of the greatest things about His Highness is that he has really empowered all of our decisions. When he selected me for the position, he had complete trust in what I can do.
“In all of the conversations we have had he has been extremely knowledgeable about the horses and pedigrees, and we have discussed great plans going forward.
“The greatest thing is that he has really let me get stuck in and even though we are in a rebuilding stage since I arrived. It is going to take one or two years for us to get to where we want to be.
“I’m so thankful he does empower us to make those decisions and have those discussions that will help us get the stable back to its glory days.”
Returning to those glory days gradually will take continued success and the trainer has some prospects in which he sees great potential for this season and beyond.
“I think a big reason they got me to come train here with the stable we have inherited is that they have had a couple of quiet years, there were only four winners from this stable last season for example,” he said.
The stable currently has 67 horses with more recently purchased as well as new arrivals.
“In building the stable we’ve recently had eighteen horses arrive from the UK and we have another three arriving from Australia at the end of December.
“His Highness has overseen a stable that has included British champion and two-time Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Addeybb,” said Costa commenting on some of the names to watch out for once the season gets into full swing.
“Although Addeybb is no longer in the stable as he has been retired, the vision for the season is to get the greatest out of every horse that we have here.
“There is a horse called Carolina Reaper who has arrived recently. We purchased her from New Zealand, and she will be looking to head to some classics over the Carnival.
“We have just started her in some work and will release the handbrake on her over the next couple of weeks to see a good guide at where she is at.
“We also have a horse that arrived from the UK from William Haggis called Nahaar and we will be looking at sending him to the turf sprint races over the Carnival.
“Then there is a two-year-old called Seyoouf who looks to be one to follow along with a new form horse from the US called Home Brew who looks to be quality.
“We went over to the US earlier in the year and bought ten very nice yearlings that I believe are top notch and it's only going to be a matter of time until they get over here and really fly the flag for us.”
Mouheeb and Mersaal are a pair of stable mates that Costa speaks of with potential and a willingness to campaign well this season.
“Mouheeb was a horse we brought back after he had three runs last season, and they were able to stretch him out, but he looks like a genuine sprinter. He has really improved, and we will see how he performs against the Stakes level company.
“Mersaal is a very interesting horse! We had been given reports that it was one that could have been potentially retired at the start of the season – there wasn’t too much of a wrap on him.
“But we kicked him off early on in training and we found that he had some quite impressive heart rates coming through with a big engine for a neat-looking horse.
“He has really been on an upward improvement in his workouts as well. He has won two from two at home and we will look to throw him in the deep end soon, but he is just one of those horses that keeps continuing to build and it will be good to see where he ends up,” said Costa.
As this journalist was speaking to Costa, it was the night before racing at Meydan where the team was lining up four starters of which Costa detailed chances for the season.
“Bilhaylis really hitting his straps in track work and is a horse from the UK – still a maiden but the way he has been working he will be ready.
“Yojaari won his first start of the season at Jebel Ali and is showing real improvement.
“Avant Garde is in his first campaign with the stable, but I definitely think he will one who will improve better second or third up over a little bit further. He has a real staying style about him so that is what we will be looking for there.
“Sadeedd is a horse ready to win and one to watch through the season for us,” said Costa looking ahead.
With this stable that does have the potential to show dominance and success on the track, the man at the helm will be the first to admit that this season, his first with Jebel Ali, holds far greater substance.
“We’ve got a lot to achieve here, and we will continue to look for those one percenters.
“It is great to start the season well but this season we just want to get the best out of our horses and see some horses hit the tracks that are yet to.
“We would love to see half a dozen horses get to the carnival and really fly the flag and represent our stable,” concluded Costa.