Amorino wins March Stakes LR at Flemington
Owners Elio & Jacqui Galante haven’t been afraid to make bold decisions about their talented Snitzel gelding Amorino and he has rewarded them with nine wins in three states over four seasons.
The Arrowfield graduate collected his fifth stakes victory in Saturday’s $120,000 VRC March S. 1400m LR, a week after winning the VRC Shaftesbury Avenue H. G3 over the same distance. This latest success takes the 5YO’s earnings close to $700,000 – a handsome return on the $70,000 Elio Galante paid for him as a yearling.
Bred by the Arrowfield/Jungle Pocket partnership, also responsible for Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler, Blue Diamond winner Reaan & current star Sweet Idea, Amorino is from Steal My Love (by Marauding), a winning half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Danendri by Snitzel’s grandsire Danehill.
He carries an interesting 4 x 3 pattern of in-breeding through Snitzel’s second dam Snow Finch, and Steal My Love’s dam Stormy Exchange – both by champion European 2YO & leading US sire Storm Bird.
The family has also produced Champion 3YO Filly Faint Perfume and Group 3 winners Shanzero (by Danzero) and Do You Think (by Starcraft).
Amorino was purchased by Elio Galante from the Arrowfield draft at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and sent initially to Gerald Ryan who prepared him to win his first two starts as a juvenile in October & December 2011.
However, he struggled in Group & Listed company and, after a winless 3YO season, the Galantes transferred him to Grant Williams’ stable in Perth where Amorino won five races, including three Listed stakes events at 1200, 1400 & 1500 metres.
A change of scene was again the answer after Amorino’s four unplaced efforts in Perth Group company last Spring. This time the Galantes decided to send him to Victoria and placed him in the care of first-season Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander.
Amorino has taken a few starts to find his feet in Melbourne, but a third at Flemington last month showed he was on the right track. The $174,000 he has since added to his account confirms the wisdom of the Galantes’ decision-making.
Amorino is one of Snitzel’s 9 stakeswinners this season, a group headed by two other Arrowfield graduates, Group 1 winner Wandjina, bought by James Harron from the 2013 Inglis Easter Sale, and Group 2 winner Sweet Idea, also twice Group 1-placed last Spring. Sweet Idea was a 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast purchase by Harron & Gai Waterhouse.
Arrowfield’s consignment for next month’s 2015 Inglis Easter Sale can be viewed here.
