Antonio Giuseppe toughs out third straight win

Antonio Giuseppe’s third consecutive Sydney win has kept his Metropolitan Handicap dream alive.

Antonio Guiseppe ($2.05 favourite) made a sustained run to hold off stablemate Four Carat ($31) by a half head to give trainer Chris Waller the quinella in the Schweppes Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

The Mark Newnham-trained Lanciato ($7.50) finished third.

Antonio Giuseppe now has three wins from four starts in Australia since transferring from New Zealand to Waller’s stable.

Waller said extending to the 2400m of the Group One Metropolitan would suit the four-year-old.

“The dream is to get to the Metrop but we’re pressed for time,” Waller said.

“He was off the bridle at the 600-metre mark last start and today and he still keeps coming.”

Waller said if Antonio Giuseppe fails to qualify for the Metropolitan he could target a race during the Melbourne spring carnival or a Listed race over 2400m at Randwick on October 15.

Jockey Hugh Bowman said Antonio Guiseppe is a black-type horse in the making and would relish 2400m.

“When he gets to that trip the world is his oyster,” Bowman said.

After Four Carat’s impressive first-up run, Waller will now target the 2800m race on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.