Stakes-winning Malavio heads Snitzel's city blitz
Malavio‘s second Listed Stakes win at Rosehill today headed a 24-hour blitz of city success for brilliant young Arrowfield sire Snitzel .
Pictured: Snitzel’s talented son Malavio becomes a dual stakeswinner for his owner-breeder Ottavio Galetta. (PHOTO: Sportpix)
The 4YO gelding (ex Win Here Win There by Dehere) delighted his owner-breeder Ottavio Galetta with a staunchly courageous effort in the $100,000 ATC Festival S. 1500m LR.
The start didn’t quite go to plan for Malavio who missed the kick, but he was quickly driven forward by jockey Nathan Berry in a move that left them sitting outside race leader, Monton.
They both sprinted strongly at the 350-metre mark but that wasn’t enough to slip their rivals, so the result was finally settled by old-fashioned grit and it was Malavio who edged clear to win by a half-length with a neck to Galah (by Redoute’s Choice) in third place.
As Nathan Berry explained afterward, “I didn’t think I would find a great spot if I tried to come back and get in. As a horse he is very versatile, you can ride him wherever. I didn’t rush him around the field, I just let him get into a lovely rhythm.
It was Malavio’s eighth success from 19 starts, and second in black type company following his ATC Civic S. LR win in June. The $175,000 Villiers S. 1600m G2 on 22 December is his next target.
Malavio joins the outstanding multiple Group winner Snitzerland and Melbourne stakeswinner Pronto Pronto among Snitzel’s nine stakes performers this season. Mr Galetta, who breeds principally to race from a small band of three broodmares, has a “lovely” 2012 sister to Malavio and Win Here Win There is again in foal to Snitzel.
3YO Dances on Stars (ex Starnet by Last Tycoon) completed a Rosehill double for Snitzel when successful by more than two lengths in class record time of 1.19.28 for 1350 metres. It was a well-deserved win for the Gerald Ryan-trained colt who has raced with merit in black type company since winning the ATC Kindergarten S. G3 as an autumn juvenile.
On Friday night Snitzel’s 5YO son Apres (ex Meribel Centaine) scored his first city victory in fine style by two lengths over Moonee Valley’s 2040 metres.
Snitzel holds his position among Australia’s top ten sires with 40 winners of 62 races and $2.3 million prizemoney, and yet again he and Stratum (also by Redoute’s Choice) are comfortably leading the cohort of stallions who began their careers in 2006.
Snitzel has 24 yearlings catalogued for the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, including two fillies and a colt in the Arrowfield draft .
