Palentino lost the G3 CS Hayes S. two weeks ago in the stewards' room after crossing the line first, and the Tasmanian-bred's connections were once again made to sweat out a protest after he beat last year's G1 Victoria Derby winner Tarzino across the line in the Australian Guineas. The decision went Palentino's way this time, giving the colt a first Group 1 win and pushing his earnings past A$600,000–a solid return on his A$85,000 purchase price at the 2014 Magic Millions Tasmanian yearling sale. Racing with his head in the air down the backstretch with just Tarzino and one more rival behind him while the vaunted New Zealand raider Xtravagant set the tempo, Palentino was hung seven-wide off the turn with Tarzino in close quarters to his outside. Brushing one another up the stretch, Palentino hit the lead a neck to the better passing the 100 metre mark, with Tarzino shortening that margin to a head on the wire. Xtravagant held the lead until the final furlong but was overwhelmed by closers thereafter and checked in eighth. “This will be a good party, this one,” winning trainer Darren Weir said after the result was confirmed. “There's a lot of groups and a lot of syndicates in this horse, not just one owner.”
Weir, the conditioner of last year's G1 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), explained that he trained the winner's dam and was inspired to put up the sale-topping A$85,000 for her fifth foal after seeing him in the flesh.
“I found him in [Tasmania], I'd trained his mother and went over and saw him and loved the horse,” he said. “He's certainly a tough horse; he did it the right way. The genuine speed in the race helped a bit and he just likes room late. He was in for the fight.”
Palentino's half-sister by Tough Speed was a A$28,000 buy at this year's Tasmanian sale, and Palatine Hill produced a Reset (Aus) colt last year.
Palentino got off the mark at second asking in a 1300 metre Stawell maiden Oct. 12, and added Flemington's Listed Hilton Hotels and Resorts S. the following month. He was seventh, beaten three lengths, when resuming in the G3 Manfred S. back to 1200 metres at Caulfield Feb. 6 prior to his disqualification in the CS Hayes.
Saturday, Flemington, Australia
AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS-G1, A$755,000, VRC, 3-5, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 1600mT, 1:35.28, Good.
1–&@PALENTINO, 56.5, c, 3, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Palatine Hill, by Palace Music (USA)
2nd Dam: Rather Droll, by Sovereign Red (NZ)
3rd Dam: Love Divine (USA), by Droll Role (USA)
(A$85,000 Ylg 2014 MM Tasmanian Yearling Sale) O-Boom Rat
Racing, Bool Derby Boys, J Cox, Dadoco Racing, Sunday Knight,
Don't Tell Her, M Johnston, S Everett, P Bourk, T Ginnane, G
White, Mrs J Collins, M Atchison, J Whiteman; B-Mrs JL Watson
TAS; T-D K Weir; J-M Zahra; A$455,000. Lifetime Record:
6-3-2-0, A$606,710. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tarzino (NZ), 56.5, c, 3, Tavistock (NZ)–Zarzino (NZ) , by
Zabeel (NZ). (NZ$45,000 Ylg 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale;
A$60,000 Ylg 2014 MM National Yearling Sale) O-M G Price, Dr
C G Lawler, Mrs M Jurie, J G Bebedellis, Mrs C Price, G
Bebedellis, J J McNicholas, G Alas, J P Bergin, R A & J E
Ferguson Partnership Syndicate; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan,
Waikato, NZ; T-M G Price; J-C Newitt; A$135,000.
3–Risque (NZ), 54.5, f, 3, Darci Brahma (NZ)–So Explicit (NZ), by
Straight Strike (USA). O-Seymour Bloodstock Syndicate (Mgr:
D Thomas) & Werrett Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: N Werrett); B-D
P Bentata, Waikato, NZ; T-David Hayes & Tom Dabernig;
J-Damian Lane; A$67,500.
Margins: 0.1 len, 0.6 len, 1.6 len. Odds: 9.00, 7.50, 16.00.
Also Ran: River Wild, Jameka, Vanbrugh, Ready for Victory, Xtravagant (NZ) , Sovereign Nation, Sailing By, Snoopy, Tivaci, Bon Aurum, Mahuta, Perfect Reflection.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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