Dal Cielo
Trish Dunell
Dal Cielo is to continue his career in Australia on a permanent basis.
The Group One winner will join Kris Lees' operation following a change in the make-up of the three-year-old's ownership.
Dal Cielo is part-owned by the Wellington-based Lib Petagna, who also races the Lees-trained dual Group One winner Lucia Valentina.
"Dal Cielo has been gelded and there's been a change with the Homebush Partnership having sold their share, but Lib has remained involved," said Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who manages Petagna's thoroughbred interests.
Formerly trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Dal Cielo won the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes at two and this season finished in the money in the Gr.2 Sandown Guineas and the Gr.3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude during a Melbourne spring campaign.
However, the son of Per Incanto was subsequently unplaced in three Sydney starts in the autumn.
"The horse has had a few issues and hopefully he can improve and find his old form. He's had a nice break and we're really happy with him," Perry said.
Meanwhile, the Petagna-owned Saracino, also by Per Incanto, is being set for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas by Baker and Forsman.
"That's the plan and on what he's done so far he is a pretty exciting horse," Perry said.
Saracino was runner-up on debut in the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic before he finished fifth in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and third in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.
"He's back in work now and doing very well," Perry said.
Petagna also has an interest in Saracino's stablemate Maygrove with the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup winner unlikely at this stage to campaign in Melbourne this year.
"He's back after a good break and he's more likely to head to the New Zealand Cup, depending on the weight," Perry said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Group One winner will join Kris Lees' operation following a change in the make-up of the three-year-old's ownership.
Dal Cielo is part-owned by the Wellington-based Lib Petagna, who also races the Lees-trained dual Group One winner Lucia Valentina.
"Dal Cielo has been gelded and there's been a change with the Homebush Partnership having sold their share, but Lib has remained involved," said Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who manages Petagna's thoroughbred interests.
Formerly trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Dal Cielo won the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes at two and this season finished in the money in the Gr.2 Sandown Guineas and the Gr.3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude during a Melbourne spring campaign.
However, the son of Per Incanto was subsequently unplaced in three Sydney starts in the autumn.
"The horse has had a few issues and hopefully he can improve and find his old form. He's had a nice break and we're really happy with him," Perry said.
Meanwhile, the Petagna-owned Saracino, also by Per Incanto, is being set for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas by Baker and Forsman.
"That's the plan and on what he's done so far he is a pretty exciting horse," Perry said.
Saracino was runner-up on debut in the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic before he finished fifth in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and third in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.
"He's back in work now and doing very well," Perry said.
Petagna also has an interest in Saracino's stablemate Maygrove with the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup winner unlikely at this stage to campaign in Melbourne this year.
"He's back after a good break and he's more likely to head to the New Zealand Cup, depending on the weight," Perry said. – NZ Racing Desk.