The spritely eight-year-old Snitzel gelding Scallopini led them a merry dance under Damian Lane in Saturday's Listed The Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington.
Continuing a successful Melbourne sojourn for Brisbane's Steven O'Dea and Matt Hoysted, Scallopini dominated from start to finish to defeat Pinstriped (Street Boss) by two and a quarter lengths with El Rocko (Fastnet Rock) a long-head back in third.
With his fourth Listed stakes success, Scallopini advances his record to eleven wins, eight seconds, and five thirds from 38 starts with earnings of $807,525.
"I’m mainly just so happy for the horse; he’s well deserving,” Hoysted said.
“He’s an eight-year-old but racing in career-best form at the moment. He had no luck at all last start. It was still a good run considering, and he’s been so well.
“The month in between runs really suited, and the bit of rain that we had was really going to play into his favour because he loves the sting out this old boy.
“Once he was so happy in a nice rhythm out on front, you knew he would give us a nice kick. It was a really good effort under the 58.5kg today.”
Hoysted said the son of Snitzel was unlikely to back up in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
“We’ll have to have a good chat to the ownership group, but probably not. I don’t know if backing him up is the best thing for him and he can head home and have a little bit of a break now - he’s had a long campaign, campaigning through the winter.
“He’s done a really good job, so I think he’s well deserving of a little break now, and we can get him home and set him for Magic Millions.”
It could be a bid day for Scallopini’s dam Rose Of Mulan (More Than Ready), whose daughter Shades Of Rose has a favourites chance in the Group II Sheraco Stakes at Rosehill.
Bred by Steve Gillard, Scallopini was a $200,000 purchase for Proven Thoroughbreds/Steve O'Dea from the Yarraman draft at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is the first foal of the Rose Of Mulan, a daughter of the crack racemare Lady Mulan.
The daughter of Bigstone won the Group II Light Fingers Stakes and placed in the Group 1 QTC TJ Smith Classic, Group 1 Coolmore Classic and Group 1 Flight Stakes.
Rose Of Mulan has an unraced 3yo filly foal by Extreme Choice named Decisively, purchased by O'Brien Thoroughbreds / Yes Bloodstock for $420,000 at the Inglis Premier.
After missing in 2019 and slipping in 2020, Rose Of Mulan foaled a Hellbent filly on August 21.
