Costa In The Glen to stay home

A substantial six-figure offer has failed to secure exciting three-year-old Costa In the Glen following his impressive debut win at Geelong last month.

Nick Williams contacted the gelding's owners and breeders Tim and Di Dennis who rejected an undisclosed bid.

Trained by Niall Phillips, Costa In the Glen captured the imagination after he overcame a slow start on Geelong's ThoroughTrack to win his debut hard-held by four lengths in near record time over 1200 metres on April 24.

Costa In the Glen was scratched from Saturday's Sky High Mount Dandenong Hcp (1400m) at Caulfield and will have a short break and resume before the end of the season.

Tim Dennis confirmed the substantial offer for Costa In The Glen.

"We decided to keep racing him because he is a really good horse for Niall and we hope he might win a Group race for us in the spring," Dennis said.

He said they had tried to sell Costa In The Glen as a weanling but his x-rays didn't pass the necessary scrutiny.

By Encosta De Lago, Costa In The Glen is the fifth winner from Bletchingly mare Bratenahl and a half sister to the stakes placed Graphite Lass.

His pedigree is saturated with stakes winners and includes French Group Two winner Crimson Quest who finished fourth in the Dubai World Cup and accomplished English stayer Tungsten Strike who ran in last year's Melbourne Cup.

Phillips said Costa In The Glen was a maturing galloper and would be a much better horse in the spring.

"He might just be feeling the pinch a little bit now and is probably ready for a break," Phillips said.

He said the horse would have two or three weeks in the paddock and return for the last of the three-year-old races in July.

He said it was important to get success for Costa In The Glen before he turns four in August so he can be aimed at good spring targets.

"If we can't get another run or two into him it is a big task to come back as a four-year-old and try and qualify for some good races," Phillips said.

"I think he has a lot of ability and when you look at his Geelong win, only good horses do what he did that day."