Giovanna Run was unplaced on debut prior to Christmas and showed the benefit of a break with a runner-up finish when resuming earlier this month ahead of going one better in Saturday’s Everest Carnival On Sale H.
Press Statement was bred and raced by Tony Muollo and was an outstanding 2-year-old who ended an unbeaten campaign with victory in the G1 JJ Atkins S. for champion trainer Chris Waller, and that encouraged Vinery Stud and the China Horse Club to acquire a significant interest in the colt.
He trained on the following season to add the G1 Caulfield Guineas to his record and placed in the G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 All Aged S. before retiring to Vinery.
Giovanna Run is a Muollo-raced homebred and the Waller-prepared filly credited Press Statement with his fifth first-crop winner on Saturday and looks to have the potential to become a future black-type winner for her young sire.
Giovanna Run as a yearling
“It was a nice ride by Tommy (Berry) from a tricky draw. The plan was to slot in behind the leaders, but if the gap wasn’t there leave it up to Tommy,” Waller said. “That’s what makes these riders so great, they make the decisions and get away with it.
“She is a nice, progressive horse by Press Statement, who we had a lot to do with, and we think a lot of her, she’s a very talented filly.”
“She is a nice, progressive horse by Press Statement, who we had a lot to do with, and we think a lot of her, she’s a very talented filly.” – Chris Waller
“We gave her an early 2-year-old prep and she wasn’t quite strong enough for that as she will be as a 3-year-old, and I can’t wait for her career to unfold.”
Waller said he was likely to give the filly another run in a month’s time and, hopefully, progress through to the G1 Flight S.
Giovanna Run was quickly into stride from the widest gate to make the running and, after dashing clear 250 metres from home, had enough in reserve to win by 0.8l.
“I definitely don’t think that’s the way to ride her, but I felt I was on the best horses in the race. I spoke to Chris and there was a lack of speed so we pressed forward,” Berry said.
“She feels like a filly that really needs to get into a nice rhythm and I was able to do that in front. I was able to get an easy two furlongs mid-race and that probably won it.
“She feels like a filly that really needs to get into a nice rhythm and I was able to do that in front.” – Tommy Berry
“She doesn’t know what she’s doing yet and wanders about. In the last 80 metres there was a bit of pressure and she started to lift for me .
“She’s a bit immature at this stage, but she will definitely go on with it and the best is yet to come.”
Giovanna Run is a daughter of Giovanna Bella (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and she is out of a three-quarter sister to the G1 Kelt Capital S. winner Love Dance (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) and the family of the stakes winners Handfast (Street Cry {Ire}), Rusambo (Elusive Quality {USA}) and Global Thinking (So You Think {NZ}).
The David Payne-trained Bazooka (Smart Missile) finished runner-up and his stablemate Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) came from last for third and a top future has been tipped for her.
“She’s a lovely filly going forward and I think she could win a Classic race,” Payne said. “She has a lot of potential. She wants further and has a stout pedigree so long-term we’ll get to the Oaks, hopefully.”
