O’Shea unveils promising juvenile

The John O’Shea stable has stakes ambitions for debut winner Ravello.

Trainer : JOHN O'SHEA.
Trainer : JOHN O'SHEA. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

He has been a work in progress on the trial track, but the John O'Shea-trained Ravello has brought out his A-game on race day with a smart debut win at Warwick Farm. 

The son of Savabeel settled off the speed when soundly beaten in his two barrier trials, however he showed the benefit of those educational hit-outs in Wednesday's Arrowfield – A Tradition of Greatness Handicap (1400m). 

Given a beautiful run just behind the speed by Brenton Avdulla, Ravello ($19) peeled off the backs of the leaders and surged clear to edge out the well-related Kintyre ($19), a half-brother to 2022 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn, with race leader Inhibitions ($5 equal fav) holding on for third. 

While the winner snuck under the guard of punters, O'Shea's stable representative Tom Charlton said the youngster had shown ability at home but had been a slow burn. 

"You see him physically, he's an imposing horse but he's probably just been a bit babyish and lazy in his trials," Charlton said. 

"They've obviously woken him up and when he took a good spot from the gate today, he got to show what he's all about. 

"He's going to be a really nice horse going forward." 

Ravello holds an entry for the Group 1 Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick during The Championships, while races like Saturday week's T L Baillieu Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill are also in the mix. 

Given the colt's breeding, he is expected to be a better horse again at three and there is also the option to give him a light first campaign and spell him for the spring. 

"Races like the Baillieu may come too quickly next weekend, we'll just see how he comes through it," Charlton said. 

"If not, you've got other races down the back end of the carnival, or even Queensland, or as a three-year-old in the spring where you're going to really see the best of him." 

Former New Zealander Goldman ($2.40 fav) likewise made a mark at the midweek meeting, backing up a dominant win at his Australian debut at Kembla Grange to thump his rivals in the Furphy Handicap (2400m) by more than 5-1/2 lengths. 

Co-trainer Adrian Bott said they would continue to take the stayer through his grades and hoped he could "develop into a lovely horse in twelve months' time". 

"He's still a raw horse and we're still learning about him, but he's got plenty of upside," Bott said. 


Racing and Sports



Warwick Farm

Wednesday, 15th March 2023

2
14:20
(local)

ARROWFIELD - A TRADITION OF GREATNESS HANDICAP

Age: 2yo WT: 54.0kg Type: OPEN
AUD $55,000
1400m TURF SOFT
2
14:20
(local)
AUD $55,000
1400m SOFT

ARROWFIELD - A TRADITION OF GREATNESS HANDICAP

Age: 2yo WT: 54.0kg Type: OPEN
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 8. RAVELLO (NZ) 2yo C
SAVABEEL (AUS) - COVER CHARGE (USA)
BRENTON AVDULLA
JOHN O'SHEA
$19
56.5kg
L Petagna, G Clarke & A S Williams

Sales Information

2nd 2. KINTYRE (AUS) 2yo C
HALLOWED CROWN (AUS) - MULL OVER (AUS)
TYLER SCHILLER
GARY PORTELLI
$19
58kg
Laurel Oak, Bundalong Racing (Mgr: J Gunston), R I Cullen, E L H Cullen, J T O'Brien, J Davis, C Morony, M W Powell, V I Latimore, A N Fitzgerald, K A Tibbey, Whinging Poms (Mgr: J T Fathers), J V Murphy, B Pendlebury, D Hanckel & T Hutchinson
3rd 3. INHIBITIONS (AUS) 2yo F
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - WORKDRINKS (AUS)
NASH RAWILLER
JAMES CUMMINGS
$5
57.5kg
Godolphin

Sales Information

4th 10. WYMARK (NZ) 2yo C
SAVABEEL (AUS) - PASADENA (NZ)
BRETT PREBBLE
MICHAEL FREEDMAN
$7
56.5kg

Sales Information

5th 12. PRINCESS CRUIZER (AUS) 2yo F
CHOISIR (AUS) - CALAWAY CRUIZER (AUS)
REECE JONES
PAUL PERRY
$12
54kg

Sales Information

6th 11. UNCLE HARRY (AUS) 2yo C
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - PORT ELIZABETH (IRE)
BLAKE SPRIGGS
PAUL PERRY
$101
56kg

Sales Information

7th 1. ROUSSILLON (AUS) 2yo C
EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - FITOU (AUS)
JOSH PARR
JAMES CUMMINGS
$8.5
58.5kg
8th 14. SMASHING DANCER (AUS) 2yo F
BRAVE SMASH (JPN) - FIDELIAS DANCE (GB)
JAY FORD
KIM WAUGH
$41
54kg

Sales Information

9th 5. DIABELLI (AUS) 2yo C
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - WEDDING VEIL (IRE)
SAM CLIPPERTON
JAMES CUMMINGS
$11
56.5kg
10th 7. LLEWELLYN (AUS) 2yo C
MENDELSSOHN (USA) - POWERPLAY (NZ)
ALYSHA COLLETT
J G SARGENT
$12
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 6. EXCEED PERFECTION (AUS) 2yo C
EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - PERFECT RHYME (AUS)
TIM CLARK
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE
$5
56.5kg

Sales Information

12th 9. TANNHAUSER (AUS) 2yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - LUQYAA (AUS)
REGAN BAYLISS
CHRIS WALLER
$9
56.5kg

Sales Information

13th 13. AUNTY RENE (AUS) 2yo F
SO YOU THINK (NZ) - DON'T BLINK (AUS)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
JOHN O'SHEA
$21
55kg