Whether it was the life-changing nature of the result for young trainer Richard Litt, or the reward for years of dedication of popular owners Ottavio and Wendy Galletta, feel good stories were thick on the ground after Castelvecchio (Dundeel {NZ}) won the inaugural Inglis Millennium.
Connections fought back tears as 29-year-old Litt spoke to media after his colt swooped from last, straight past race favourites Accesssion (Brazen Beau) and Dawn Passage (Dawn Approach {Ire}), to clinch the first running of the $2 million 2-year-old feature.
"I might be able to go buy a couple of horses tonight," Litt said. "We are just happy to be here, this is incredible for us."
"We are just happy to be here, this is incredible for us." - Trainer, Richard Litt
The win oozed class and came as a surprise not just to punters but to the trainer himself.
"He just does everything so easily and we never push him, today he isn't even revved up for this. He has had two gallops coming into this so he isn't even cherry ripe yet," Litt said. "I knew there was going to be speed, so I knew we were going to be finishing hard, but I didn't think he would do that."
"I knew there was going to be speed, so I knew we were going to be finishing hard, but I didn't think he would do that." - Richard Litt
Jockey Josh Parr was equally as stunned.
"They say ignorance is bliss and that's certainly the case with this horse, he is so raw. He has no idea what this is all about," Parr said. "It's all just sheer ability, you saw how hard I had to urge him into the race from the 600m point and he made my job quite difficult but his turn of foot after being asked for a run so far from home, was extraordinary."
No Slipper for new star
The prizemoney from Saturday's sales-restricted race won't count towards the G1 Golden Slipper order of entry, but Litt wasn't concerned with a horse whose breeding and racing style indicates a future at a mile or even beyond.
"I think the G1 Inglis Sires Produce will be the best option," Litt said. "We won't push him, he is obviously a nice horse and we won't rush him to the Slipper. We will take our time and see where he takes us."
Richard Litt (centre) celebrating his Millennium win with the Gallettas
A great sign for Dundeel
Two weeks ago Arrowfield Stud's Dundeel sired his first G1 winner when Atyaab won the G1 Cape Derby at Kenilworth, but a 2-year-old winner – especially such a commanding victory – is a real bonus for a horse whose forte is expected to be 3-year-olds.
"We never expected him to have precocious 2-year-olds." - Paul Messara
"We never expected him to have precocious 2-year-olds," Arrowfield's Paul Messara said. "It's great for Dundeel, he is on the cusp, and they need big feature wins like that. It was a step in the right direction. He is a High Chaparral (Ire) out of a Zabeel (NZ) mare, so you would expect his progeny to be better at three, but with the right mare, they can be precocious. He looks pretty impressive."
Dundeel
Popular owners
What seemed to please Messara most though was the fact long-time clients Ottavio and Wendy Galletta had found such a sublime talent from the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft for $150,000.
"They've been sending mares to us for a long time, and they are great friends of us," he said.
The win may have been a surprise to Litt, but the Gallettas thought they might have found a special one when horse breaker Rob Quinn called Wendy and told her "you have got a lovely horse."
"We put the horse with Richard because we believe that when we put a horse with a young trainer in a small stable they get really good care." - Wendy Galletta
Then, six months after the Gallettas bought Castelvecchio, his half-sister Maid Of Heaven (Smart Missile) won the G1 Spring Champion Stakes, giving the long-time owner breeders another indication they could have a special talent on their hands.
"We put the horse with Richard because we believe that when we put a horse with a young trainer in a small stable they get really good care," Wendy said. "The attention to detail he shows is amazing. He has been really patient, putting him in and out of work a few times, but we thought we would give this race a go. To do what he did today at just his second start is amazing."
