Securing a run as the first emergency in the opening race at Seymour on Thursday, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained 2yo So You Think (NZ) gelding Piazza made a winning debut over 1200m.
A half-brother to the G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar), the Dorrington Farm raced juvenile started the equal favourite off the back of three pleasing jump out efforts.
Straight to the front under jockey Beau Mertens, Piazza crossed from barrier 10 of 12 to take up the running with the well-fancied Naval Command, a son of Home Affairs out of the multiple G1 winner Sea Siren, settling in second for Luke Currie.
Racing a few lengths off the inside fence, Piazza cornered for home still in the lead, and while Naval Command wasn’t losing any ground, it was clear he wasn’t going to make up the required ground to catch the eventual winner who had kicked clear.
After racing wide, the John Symons and Sheila Laxon trained Star Of Macedon worked home strongly to get within three-quarters of a length of Piazza as the filly crossed the line in front under hands and heels riding.
Becoming the fourth winner from four to the races out of the Listed winning Magnus mare Miss Cummings, the Robert Crabtree bred Piazza is not only a half-sister to Zoustar’s G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy, herself a winner of a further three black type races, but also the G3 PJ Bell Stakes winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar).
A last start sixth in the Listed Princess Stakes at Eagle Farm, beaten less than two lengths, the Tom Charlton trained Burn The Sky (Zoustar) is out of Combat Queen, a winning Pierro half-sister to Piazza, so it’s a family that continues to perform.
One of two juvenile winners this season for So You Think from just three runners, the former Coolmore stallion unfortunately passed away last spring, with the ten-time G1-winning son of High Chapparal having sired eight stakes winners so far this season including Tuileries who captured the G3 Dark Jewel Classic last Saturday at Scone.
