After a fast closing fourth in the $5m G1 ATC Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) last start, the Chris Waller trained Snitzel colt Campione d’Italia franked that form with a solid victory in the $1m G1 ATC Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Sporting the China Horse Club/Newgate Farm silks which have been worn to previous Sires’s success by Militarize (NZ) and Invader, the James McDonald ridden colt started on the second line of betting on Saturday behind Golden Slipper runner-up and Blue Diamond winner Streisand, who was having her first start for new owners Yulong.
Drawn well in barrier three, James McDonald allowed Campione d’Italia to settle back in the back with just two behind him after the getaway as Bjorn Baker’s Zoustar filly Rachini crossed the field from barrier 11 and took up the running.
The second of the Yulong owned runners Paradoxium secured a good position in second, while McDonald had already started to come forward along the rail aboard Campione d’Italia to make up some ground.
When the home bend was reached and Rachel King asked Rachini for an effort, the last start Wyong winner responded impressively, kicking to three lengths clear of stablemate Paradoxium.
Favourite Streisand wasn’t doing enough as McDonald and Campione d’Italia were really working home at a rate of knots, passing Rachini at the 100m mark before holding off the late charge of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) who had come from last on the turn to take second.
Campione d’Italia’s stablemate Fireball (Snitzel) was another to come from well off the pace with the Inglis Millennium winner charging into third, beaten one and a half lengths on the line.
Having also won the Sires’ for the similar connections of Campione d’Italia with Militarize a few years back, Waller indicated that the colt is still learning.
“He’s a young horse,” said Waller. “Today was his fourth career star and each run has got a little bit better, a little bit better.”
“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is just learning all the time.
“He got a lovely draw today, and that was the difference between having him in the firing line or going back like he was last start. It was good to see him knuckle down and get the job done.”
“He’s got raw talent. His first start he did everything wrong, just because he thought, right let’s get the race over and done with. We had to harness that a little bit and bring him back. He’s a lovely colt.”
As for where he might head next, Waller said he would discuss it with connections.
“Militarize, he won the Sires’ and then he won the Champagne, so I’ll have a talk to the team and see what they suggest.”
Breeder Gerry Harvey was glad to have kept a share in the colt
“He got passed in at the sales and I told Henry Field I want 600K and he said I’ll give you 500K and I said get lost, in the end I took it and luckily I kept 20 per cent for myself,” said Harvey.
Having not ridden the colt since his debut, McDonald was very complimentary of the his G1-winning performance.
“He’s a sensational horse, he’s been a work in progress and Mr Harvey told me, make sure I keep my hands down, don’t want that horse throwing his head,” said McDonald.
“He’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future, I’m sure he’ll run the 1600m right out.”
“Great to see him put it together today, we’ve always had a big opinion of him. Chris and the team have done such a good job to keep him improving with each start.”
Taking his overall record to two wins, both at black type level from just four starts with earnings of $1,080,000, Campione d’Italia was a $500,000 purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock & Partners from the Baramul Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with the Gerry Harvey bred colt being the fourth from five to the races out of the Medaglia D'oro mare Medaglia Valore.
Medaglia Valore, a half-sister to the dam of the dual G3 winner Espionage is also the dam of the stakes placed pair of Flashing Steel and Snitzel Miss, with her Zoustar yearling selling for $750,000 at this year’s Magic Millions yearling sale to Golden Slipper-winning trainer Mick Price while the mare was covered by the very same Widden Stud based sire in the spring.
Campione d'Italia’s victory saw the colt become the ninth G1-winning 2yo and 27th elite level winner overall for Arrowfield Stud’s Champion Sire Snitzel who unfortunately passed away in June last year.
