The 2-year-old Shalaa (IRE) gelding Italian Riviera took his record to two from three when giving his opponents weight and a beating over 1350m at Doomben on Wednesday.
Ridden by Michael Rodd for Stuart Kendrick, Italian Riviera was among the first to begin but allowed Age Of Aquarius and Wayfarer's Way to take up the running. Settled one and one back, Rodd bided his time as Samantha Collett made a lightning move on Black Assassin.
Making light of his 59kgs, Italian Riviera hit the line strongly to defeat the Headwater gelding Age Of Aquarius by a length with the same distance back to the Better Than Ready gelding Wayfarer's Way in third.
Italian Riviera made a winning debut on the Sunshine Coast Poly on March 10 before finishing fourth to Gin A Tonic at Eagle Farm on April 6.
The son of Shalaa (IRE) was a $60,000 purchase for his trainer from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to the stakes-placed Japanese winner Waugau, Italian Riviera is the fourth winner from as many to race for the winning Tiznow mare Testico (USA), whose dam is a half-sister to 4-time Gr1 winner Chief's Crown.
Sold for just $7000 on Inglis Digital, Testico (USA) has a yearling filly by Castelvecchio and was covered by Delago Deluxe last spring.
Italian Riviera is one of six 2-year-old winners of the season for Woodside Park Stud’s Shalaa (IRE).
