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By Ray Hickson

It’s not too late for lightly raced mare Christa to be given a shot at the Country Championships next year and trainer Todd Howlett said that will have to be considered if she wins at Rosehill on Saturday.

The six-year-old has raced only five times and heads into the TAB Highway Handicap (1300m) second-up after winning at Taree off a 13 month layoff.

Howlett, who is also preparing Tanglewood for another campaign aimed at The Kosciuszko, said Christa’s story is largely one of patience but feels she’s a talent with plenty more to give.

“It’s not a big story, she had a few niggling issues like ligaments,’’ he said.

“We gave her a bit of time and rehabbed her, we weren’t in a big hurry with her.

“We’re trying to get a prep out of her first, she’s very sound and everything seems right with her now and with any luck she can win and we can make some decisions after that.”

Christa, $7 with TAB on Wednesday, has won three of her five starts so a fourth win in the Highway would mean Howlett will have to think carefully about targeting the Country Championships which is for horses Class 5 and below.

Christa wins at Taree on July 22

Had injury not intervened it's likely she'd have contested the 2025 series.

He said the first-up win, over the 1412m on a soft 7, was a strong performance as she held off a promising type, with Highway form, in Show ‘Em Howl.

Jason Collett rides the mare and Howlett was rapt to draw barrier two, which he says enhances her prospects.

“I was really happy with her, it was a good win, I thought she may have needed the run but she went great,’’ Howlett said.

“There’s definitely some improvement from that. She’s had three weeks between runs and done really well since then.

“It’s been hard working horses (with the rain) but she hasn’t gone backwards, I’m very pleased with her, she’s a lovely strong mare.

“She definitely is above average and everything she’s been asked she’s stepped up to.”

As for Tanglewood, last year’s third placegetter in The Kosciuszko, Howlett said he’s about a month away from racing having had a let up since his two runs in the early winter.

They were his first since the Kosciuszko after a minor injury forced him to miss his attempt at qualifying for the Country Championships.

“I’d like to trial him next week, I’ll give him a couple of trials and he’s actually going really well,’’ he said.

“We’re aiming to get back into the Kosciuszko.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting