He was dealt a wide gate and big weight again, but it made no difference for an airborne SCALLOPINI at Flemington on Saturday.
The Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted-trained warhorse enhanced his Flemington record to three stakes wins from three starts when running away with the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (1400m).
Piloted by his regular Melbourne jockey Damian Lane, SCALLOPINI over came barrier 14 and an impost of 60kg to win the $200,000 event by 1.75 lengths.
It’s Scallopini again!
He loves the 1400m at Flemington! @ODeaHoysted @LaneDamian pic.twitter.com/T9wz36hBs2
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 11, 2023
As a rising 9YO, it’s fair to say SCALLOPINI is in the twilight of his career but has never raced better. What he has been able to achieve in the last 12 months, particularly in Melbourne, is quite extraordinary and testament to the expert management of co-trainers O’Dea and Hoysted.
The training partnership’s record with running horses in stakes races interstate is even more extraordinary – 6 wins (including UNCOMMON JAMES’ Group 1 Oakleigh Plate) and 3 minor placings from just 13 starts!
Given SCALLOPINI’s undeniable preference for Flemington, the logical plan would be to return to Melbourne’s headquarters in the spring but for now we will let the dust settle on another extremely satisfying victory.
With six stakes wins now to his name (three of them as an 8YO!), SCALLOPINI is SNITZEL’s third most prolific stakes winner ever.
Bred by Yarraman Park, SCALLOPINI was purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds for $200,000 from Book 2 of the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. His career prizemoney now totals $1,127,225.
He becomes Proven’s 13th stakes winner in the last 13 months and 3rd since January 1.
Meanwhile, our other runner at Flemington on Saturday – PRIVATE EYE – has pulled up well after his game 4th under 58kg in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m). All going well he will proceed to the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 1 where he will be much better suited under the weight-for-age conditions.
And in Sydney, STOCKMAN was typically brave in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes, finishing fifth on an unsuitably firm track. He will potentially back up into next Saturday’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes over the same track and distance.