Campione D’Italia cements stud future with Sires’ Produce success
Newgate-China Horse Club colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) might not yet have the champion status hinted by his name, but proved himself a special colt in the making with a commanding victory in Saturday’s ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick.
After a poor tenth on debut was followed by a barnstorming win in the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Campione D’Italia was one of the unlucky runners of the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), drifting back to last by the home turn but making up many lengths to finish a 2.1-length fourth behind Guest House (Home Affairs).
The run indicated the extra 200 metres of the Sires’ would be ideal, and that’s how it panned out for the Chris Waller-trained juvenile.
Drifting late to lose favouritism and jump as a $4.20 second elect, the half-million dollar yearling was taken back again from barrier three by James McDonald, settling eighth of the 13.
With only a moderate tempo set, McDonald improved a few places on the fence by the home turn, and eased into the clear at the 350 metres. At that point he still had five lengths to make up as leader Rachini (Zoustar) found the kick expected after an easy time in front.
But Campione D’Italia settled in for the fight and hauled in Rachini at the 150, and had enough in reserve at the end to win by 0.8 lengths from Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bott’s fast-finishing $15 shot Miss Chanel (Tagaloa).
Another Waller-trained colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) – Fireball – was the same margin further back in third, 3.1 lengths ahead of fellow $18 chance Rachini.
Streisand (Magnus) – the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and Golden Slipper runner-up who was bought during the week by Yulong in a $5.5 million deal – appeared to disappoint running seventh as a $3.30 favourite, one place behind another recent Yulong acquisition in Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), at $8.
The victory of Campione D’Italia in the Inglis-sponsored Sires’ Produce brought together Australia’s two major auction houses.
Magic Millions boss Gerry Harvey bred the colt and sold him via his Baramul Stud draft at the Gold Coast last January to the China Horse Club, Newgate and partners for $500,000, but stayed in for 20 per cent.
Harvey was thus delighted to receive the winners’ trophy from Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch, not missing the opportunity for a few cheeky digs at his rival auction boss.
Harvey told reporters: “The colt got passed in in the ring and I told [Newgate managing director] Henry Field, ‘I want $600,000’, and he said, ‘I’ll give you $500,000’, and I said, ‘Get lost’.
“In the end I took it and luckily I kept 20 per cent for myself.”
Waller was full of praise for Campione D’Italia, who cemented his stud future at Newgate with his maiden Group 1 success.
“He’s a young horse. Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit better,” Waller said after his 194th Group 1 victory.
“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is 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.”
While the style of his win suggested Campione D’Italia would be suited by the extra distance of the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in two weeks, Waller was non-committal on a start. He said the colt would thrive at the distance in a Guineas race as a three-year-old, but is unsure about tackling the Champagne at this stage of his development.
“We’ll see how he comes through it,” Waller said. “Obviously it’s a big deal to win for a colt, but there’s so much to come for him. That’ll be the only thing swaying us. He’ll get a Guineas trip, it’s just a matter of whether he’s ready for it now.”
McDonald agreed the future looked especially bright for Campione D’Italia.
“He’s a sensational horse. He’s been a work in progress and Mr Harvey told me, ‘Make sure I keep my hands down. I don’t want that horse throwing his head’,” McDonald said.
“He’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future, I’m sure he’ll run the 1600 metres right out.
“It was 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.”
Campione D’Italia comes from a well-performed family. He’s the fifth foal of 1200-metre winner Medaglia Valore (Medaglia D’Oro), who’s had four winners from five runners and has also thrown the Group 2-placed Snitzel Miss (Snitzel) and the Group 3-placed Flashing Steel (Not A Single Doubt).
Second dam Military Rose (General Nediym) won five stakes races including the STC Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) which helped her become second top filly on the 2009-10 Australasian 2YO Classification. She’s also the second dam of dual Group 3-winning two-year-old Espionage (Zoustar).
Medaglia Valore’s colt by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) sold for $750,000 to trainer Mick Price at Magic Millions Gold Coast in January. She missed to the late Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) in 2024 but was covered by Zoustar again last November.
Campione D’Italia becomes the 27th individual Group 1 winner for Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and is one 170 stakes winners worldwide from 1,717 runners for the stallion – a stakes winner strike-rate of 9.9 per cent. The Arrowfield titan died last June but is still a runaway leader on the Australian general sires’ table, seeking his fifth champion’s title.