Attacking the line with the keen resolve shown by his legendary sire Pierro, promising colt Octabello (2c Pierro x Charlotte de Belle, by Secret Savings) made an eye-catching winning debut at Bendigo on Friday.
Easy in the market, although specced at long odds, the Mick Price trained colt was ridden quietly by Jack Hill and allowed to find his feet early in the heavy ground.
When angled into the clear at the top of the straight, Octabello lengthened stride and surged hard between runners out wide to snatch a narrow but impressive win in the 1300 metre maiden.
“He’s a horse that I like a lot and has got plenty of improvement in him,” said Mick Price.
“I’m going to give him a short let up and target him at the Caulfield Guineas.”
A $190,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Cornerstone Stud draft for his trainer, Octabello is the third winner for Charlotte de Belle, a full sister to dual Group I winner and $1.9 million earner Dash for Cash.
Octabello is the sixth winner for Golden Slipper winner Pierro, who leads the Australian First Season Sires List by earnings with just weeks of the current season to run.
The champion son of Lonhro stands this spring at a fee of $49,500.
