Antonio Lombardo Makes a Stunning Return

The Peter McKay trained Antonio Lombardo made a stunning return to the track on Saturday with a dominating victory in the $45,000 Listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes (1200m).

Coming back from a lengthy spell, Antonio Lombardo (NZ) (Pins x Petit Verdo) showed that his time away from the track has done little to dampen his brilliance as he demolished the field of 12 by five-and-a-half-lengths in the Listed feature at Ruakaka with Sam Spratt in the saddle.

A horse that showed a vast amount of ability as a two-year-old, Antonio Lombardo won the Listed Wellesley Stakes and the Group 3 Waikato Stud 2YO Classic before clashing with Anabandana (Anabaa) in a fierce battle in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes, where he ran a nose second.

Trainer Peter Mckay has outlined that the Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas will be Antonio Lombardo'snext target, and that hewill likely miss the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton, with a tilt at the Group 1 Levin Classic on November 25 the preferred option.

Running second in New Zealand's richest two-year-old race last season, the Karaka Million, Antonio Lombardo now heads the ratings for the 2012 Karaka 3YO Mile with a New Zealand domestic rating of 88.

The Karaka 3YO Mile will be run as a black-type race for the first time this season with the Order of Entry determined by New Zealand domestic ratings, rather than career earnings. Fort Lincoln (Charge Forward) and Dollario (Captain Rio) currently hold second and third placings.

A $120,000 purchase by Peter and Kim McKay, Antonio Lombardo was bred by Robert Anderson, Cherry Taylor and Trelawney Thoroughbreds and was offered by Trelawney Stud at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale. His ten career starts have now netted four wins for over $315,000.  

Running into third position was the Donna & Dean Logan trained Perfect Catch (ex Al Katcha). By New Zealand's 2010/11 Champion First Season Sire Perfectly Ready, Perfect Catch has notched up four second placings from 11 starts, with Saturday's Listed event her first placing at stakes level. She is currently sitting in 35th position in the Karaka 3YO Mile Order of Entry.

The Order of Entry for New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka 3YO Mile is now online. For information on the race and the current Order of Entry, click here.