Topweight Capo Dell Impero (NZ) (Ghibellines) made light work of his 60kg impost when he gave his rivals weight and a beating in the feature race at Wingatui, the WAE Waikouaiti Cup (2200m).
The Brian and Shane Anderton-trained son of the Anderton’s White Robe Lodge Stud-resident stallion Ghibellines went into the contest off the back of an encouraging run at Timaru where he made up plenty of ground to finish in midfield over 1600m.
The step up to 2200m on Saturday played well into his hands as rider Corey Campbell allowed him to find his feet early in the contest before beginning his move from the rear as the field began to bunch up nearing the home turn.
Campbell found plenty of clear air through the middle of the pack at the 300m and Capo Dell Impero burst to the front before racing clear to win untouched by three lengths from Mr Intelligence and race favourite Elegant Lady.
“He really appreciated the step back up to 2200m today after running home nicely over a mile at Timaru,” Shane Anderton said.
“He is a horse that has just got better with time, as most of his family do and we think he could be even better over a little further.
“They went hard early in the race and he got a good run which helps when you are carrying that sort of weight, but he finished off nicely and won well.”
Anderton is looking at the $100,000 Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui on 3 February as the most likely target for his charge although he is wary of the weight he may be allocated in the open handicap event.
“He has won a few races now and has got up in the weights pretty quickly,” he said.
“The natural target for him looks like the Dunedin Gold Cup as it is on his home track and they are running for good money.
“We think he is well suited to the 2400m of that race although we had toyed with taking him to Trentham for the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) for a crack over two miles.
“We decided not to as the race down here is on his back doorstep so there is no travel involved and hopefully he gets in with the right weight as he should be pretty competitive.”
Capo Dell Impero is out of the Gallant Guru mare Gallant Babe, who is a full sister to 15-race winner Gallant Boy and Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) winner Patrick Erin.
Raced by a large group that includes family members of his breeder Parick Smith, who passed away in 2018, he has now won seven of his 27 starts and just under $200,000 in prizemoney.
