After finishing second with Castelvecchio in the 2019 Spring Champion stakes, owner Ottavio Galletta and trainer Richard Litt will hope to go one better on Saturday with their $1,900,000 Deep Impact (JPN) colt Profondo.
After his second in the Spring Champion Stakes, Castelvecchio finished second in the Group 1 WS Cox Plate to Lys Gracieux (JPN), arguably the best racehorse in the world at year-end.
Profondo has nowhere near the grounding of Castelvecchio, who was among the best of his age at two.
The son of the 2012 Spring Champion Stakes hero Dundeel made five starts as a juvenile culminating with his pulsating performance in the Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes.
Profondo did not start at two and goes into Saturday’s Group 1 off the back of just two starts.
Following a debut win over 1400m on the Kensington track at Randwick on September 1, Profondo separated two of his main rivals on Saturday, Head Of State (American Pharoah) and Benaud (Reliable Man) in the Group III Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill three weeks later.
Castelvecchio captured the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in the autumn and is now making beautiful babies at Arrowfield Stud.
Arrowfield is where Profondo first saw the light of day.
He had arrived in utero after his dam Honesty Prevails made the trip to Japan to visit Deep Impact (JPN).
A daughter of the stud’s breed-shaping Redoute’s Choice, Honesty Prevails was purchased at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $750,000 by Rick Worthington and Scone Bloodstock.
Now here is a bit of trivia for you.
Before she made her racetrack debut, Honesty Prevails had two wins in barrier trials at Randwick.
The horse she defeated both times was Piping Hot, the dam of last Saturday’s Group III Gimcrack Stakes winner Coolangatta and Wednesday’s impressive Rosehill winner Snitzonfire.
Honesty Prevails was a popular Golden Slipper pick when she made an emotional winning debut for Worthington in the Group III Widden Stakes at Rosehill.
Sadly, it was destined to be her only win in a career restricted to six starts.
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice performed with distinction when fourth in the Group III Reisling Stakes at Randwick and was less than three lengths from Capitalist when fifth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Retired to stud, Honesty Previals travelled to Japan in July 2017 and arrived back on December 2.
Profondo was born in August the following year.
With striking good looks and the son of one of the most sought after stallions in the world, Profondo topped the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020.
Honesty Prevails is a half-sister to stakes-placed Aerobar (Flying Spur) out of the Hussonet (USA) mare Flavoured.
A sister to the Listed AJC Hall Mark Stakes winner Ego’s Dare, Flavoured is a daughter of the Seattle Slew mare Almond Essence (USA).
Imported into Australia by her breeder Gainsborough Farm, Almond Essence (USA) was a three-quarter sister to the great racehorse and stallion AP Indy.
Honesty Prevails made it consecutive million-dollar yearlings with her Shalaa (IRE) colt a $1,150,000 purchase by James Harron Bloodstock at the Gold Coast earlier this year.
She has a yearling colt by Dundeel but unfortunately missed to Written Tycoon last spring.
