With 60kgs on her back against the boys, it’s clearly evident there are bigger and better things ahead for the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo as the 3yo daughter of Too Darn Hot went back-to-back, winning the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Impressing last time out when racing on a heavy 9 rated track, Cantiamo appeared even better suited over the 1200m as she started the race favourite just ahead of Michael Freedman’s last start winner Ohope (I Am Invincible).
With James McDonald continuing his association with the talented filly, the pair settled in a mid-field position as the Godolphin pair of Barbarossa and Ohope went forward to take up the one-two position in the run.
Tracking Ohope to the home turn, McDonald pulled off his heels to make his run down the outside, gathering in the leader and extending away for a handy victory.
Working home from back in the field in what was a very good run considering she’s eligible for an easier class of race, the Chris Waller trainer Surf’s Up (Flying Artie) finished in second, her fourth placing from four runs.
Having improved from her last start win, it’s hard to know where she will head just now, but connections are clear that stakes class racing is in her future.
“Yeah, she had a lovely run in transit,” said Lees.
“She was caught up, you could see she was going to let down well, and she's got more to come.
“As you can see, she's got a bit of cleaning up to still to come. So, these nice days will certainly be to her liking. She's going the right way.
“Carried 60 kilos, and you could see she's not a big filly, but she's a strong filly. there's a fair bit of upside to come.
“Look, she's ticking all the boxes so far. We'll just see how she comes through today.
“Still a bit open, just whether we test her now at the better level, but she'll get there at some stage.”
While she’s still sporting a winter coat and has some maturing to do, looks aren’t everything when you’re clearly talented.
“She's not good looking either,” said McDonald.
“She's a big hairy filly at the moment, but it just shows she keeps improving.
“It was a tough win under a big weight, and I thought she did a remarkable job.
“She's got so much scope to improve. The way she looks and everything, she's definitely ticking along the right way.”
A graduate of Sledmere Stud’s Inglis Classic yearling sale draft where she was purchased for $220,000 by her trainer and agent Bahen Bloodstock, the Philippa Duncan Bloodstock-bred filly is the second winner from three to the races from Rothesay mare Valencay, a half-sister to Danehill’s Listed winner Lucida and the multiple Group 1 placed Flora Danica.
A grand-daughter of the speedy, Group 2 winning Zabeel mare Peruzzi from the famed Diamond Lover family, Cantiamo lacks nothing on pedigree.
Valencay foaled a colt by Harry Angel the following season after Cantiamo, and after not being covered in the subsequent season, she is due to foal this spring to Darley’s Bivouac.
Too Darn Hot is the sire of 45 international stakes performers highlighted by four individual Group 1 winners led locally in Australia by multiple Group 1 winner Broadsiding who is covering his first book of mares at a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST) alongside his sire, who stands for $275,000 (inc. GST) at Darley Kelvinside.
