High-class performer Dandino is still looking for a home after failing to reach his reserve in an online auction.
Runner-up to Fawkner in the 2013 Caulfield Cup when trained by Marco Botti, the nine-year-old entire was retired with injury after he won the Group Three Queen’s Cup for Darren Weir in November.
Dandino attracted 33 bids up to $180,000 when the auction closed on Tuesday, $20,000 short of the reserve put on him by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.
Originally trained by James Given, Dandino progressed through the handicap ranks to win a Group Two race at Newmarket.
Under James Fanshawe he won a Group Three race and finished second in the Canadian International.
He was then sold to ATB which transferred him to Botti who took him to the United States where he won the American St Leger before his Caulfield Cup second and his creditable fifth in the Melbourne Cup won by Fiorente.
ATB’s Darren Dance said before the auction ended he did not expect him to reach his reserve but hoped the publicity would attract interest.
“We’re just trying to find him a stud home,” Dance told the Racing Post.
“We’ve advertised him trying to find a nice home at stud, in Australia or Britain or elsewhere. He probably won’t sell in the auction but it will highlight him to a few studs that we can deal with privately afterwards.”
Dandino won almost $2 million during his career.
