3 minute read

Owners Elio and Jacqui Galante haven't been afraid to make bold decisions about their talented Snitzel gelding Amorino, who has rewarded them with nine wins in three states over four seasons.

The Arrowfield Stud graduate collected his fifth stakes victory in last Saturday's Listed March Stakes at Flemington a week after winning the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue over the same distance.

His latest success took the 5YO's earnings close to $700,000, a handsome return on the $70,000 Elio Galante paid for him as a yearling.

Bred by the Arrowfield/Jungle Pocket partnership, also responsible for Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler, Blue Diamond winner Reaan and current star Sweet Idea, Amorino is from Steal My Love (Marauding), a winning half-sister to dual G1 winner Danendri by Snitzel's grandsire Danehill.

He carries an interesting 4 x 3 pattern of in-breeding through Snitzel's second dam Snow Finch, and Steal My Love's dam Stormy Exchange - both by champion sire Storm Bird.

The family has also produced champion 3YO filly Faint Perfume and G3 winners Shanzero (Danzero) and Do You Think (Starcraft).

Amorino was purchased by Elio Galante from the Arrowfield draft at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and sent initially to Gerald Ryan who prepared him to win his first two starts as a juvenile in 2011.

However, he struggled in Group & Listed company and, after a winless 3YO season, the Galantes transferred him to the Grant Williams stable in Perth where Amorino won five races, including three Listed stakes events.

A change of scene was again the answer after Amorino's four unplaced efforts in Perth last spring.

This time the Galantes decided to send him to Victoria and placed him in the care of first-season Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander.

A third at Flemington last month showed he was on the right track. The $174,000 he has since added to his account confirms the wisdom of the Galantes' decision-making.

Amorino is one of Snitzel's nine stakeswinners this season, a group headed by other Arrowfield graduates Wandjina, the G1 Australian Guineas winner bought by James Harron from the 2013 Inglis Easter Sale, and G2 winner Sweet Idea, who was twice G1-placed last spring.

Sweet Idea was a 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast purchase by Harron & Gai Waterhouse.