Businessman and owner-breeder Gerry Harvey delivered a timely message to buyers at the yearling sales after two of his passed-in horses produced back-to-back feature wins at Randwick.
Just 35 minutes after his homebred mare Chidiac claimed the Country Championships Final (1400m), colt Campione D’Italia stormed to victory in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Harvey part-owns Campione D’Italia alongside a high-profile ownership group that includes Henry Field’s Newgate Bloodstock, and revealed the colt had also failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring.
“I passed it in, and Henry Field and I had a talk. I said, ‘I want six hundred (thousand dollars) mate’, and he said, ‘I’ll give you five hundred’ and I said, ‘get lost’. Then I thought I better do it,” Harvey said.
“It’s a very exciting day because we just had the country winner as well. We passed it in for $25,000. No-one wanted it.
“So if you want to buy a horse from my horse studs, always buy the passed-in ones. Never buy in the ring. You’ll do much better buying a passed-in one.”
A son of Snitzel, Campione D’Italia enhanced his future stallion prospects with the Group 1 victory, building on a strong fourth in the Golden Slipper (1200m) where he charged home from the back of the field.
Trainer Chris Waller said the improved barrier draw and the colt’s natural progression made the difference.
“Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit better, a little bit better,” Waller said.
“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is just learning all the time.
“He got a lovely draw today, and that was the difference between having him in the firing line or going back like he was last start.
“It was good to see him knuckle down and get the job done.”
Campione D’Italia could now follow a familiar path, with Waller considering a start in the Champagne Stakes (1600m), a race won three years ago by stablemate Militarize after his Sires’ victory.
“Militarize, he won the Sires’ and then he won the Champagne, so I’ll have a talk to the team and see what they suggest,” Waller said.
“We’ve got to nurse him a little bit, so we’ll see how he comes through it.”
Campione D’Italia ($4.20) defeated Miss Chanel ($15) by three-quarters of a length, with stablemate Fireball ($18) the same margin away in third.
Fireball is also being considered for the Champagne Stakes pending how he recovers from the run.
Punters can follow the form through the Sires’ Produce Stakes into upcoming features via leading Australian betting sites.
