Pierro confirmed his status as Australia’s champion juvenile with a brilliant win in today’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
Perfectly ridden from the inside barrier by Nash Rawiller, Pierro stalked the leaders throughout before reeling in the leader Snitzerland and scoring a widening long neck margin.
One of five runners in the race for champion trainer Gai Waterhouse – Pierro provided her with a fourth success in the world’s richest two-year-old race.
“He is a dominant colt,” the Hall of Fame horsewoman beamed. “I was very surprised that he was not the favourite for the Slipper.”
“The filly shot to the front and it just took his tenacity to run her down. He is such a gutsy horse.”
Waterhouse said she would now look toward the other two legs of the two-year-old triple crown with her latest champion.
“I’m going to enjoy today and I’ll worry about that tomorrow,” she said of Pierro’s future goals.
As well as Waterhouse, Pierro has been held in high regard for his career by regular rider Nash Rawiller.
“He was outstanding,” Rawiller said after the race.
“He made his own luck today. He came out well and it went through my mind to lead.”
“I could see Jimmy coming across putting a bit more presure on. I just wanted to sit there as long as I could and wait for it to happen.”
“Corey (Brown, rider of runner-up Snitzerland) rolled off a few and it ws just game over then. I knew that if it came to a bit of a dogfight he would be too good.”
“He is just such a talented colt.”
“I was pretty confident a long way out. I was as confident as you would ever see me ride I reckon,” Rawiller summed up.
Waterhouse purchased Pierro for $230,000 on behalf of owners Greg and Donna Kolivos at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The Lonhro colt was offered at that auction by Victoria’s Musk Creek Farm after being pin-hooked by David Kobritz for $115,000 from the 2010 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Bred and sold as a weanling by Sheikh Mohammed’s powerful Australian operation of Darley, Pierro is the second runner and first winner for the Daylami mare Miss Right Note.
A winner at Chantilly in France, Miss Right Note was imported to Australia and she won in Sydney prior to being retired to stud.
Mis Right Note is a half sister to the former Champion Italian based gallper Laverock – who is by Lonhro’s champion sire Octagonal and thus closely related to today’s Slipper winning star.
Pierro’s third dam was a stakes winner at Newbury and his black type filled family include international stakes winners Flying Cloud, Captain Webb, Lady Meydan and Knight’s Tour.
Winner: Pierro
Breeding: Lonhro-Miss Right Note (Daylami)
Race: ATC Golden Slipper Stakes G1 (1200m)
Sold for: $115,000
Sale: 2010 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale
Vendor: Darley
Buyer: David Kobritz
Sold for: $230,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Musk Creek Farm (As Agent)
Buyer: Gai Waterhouse
Earnings: $2,396,150
Owner(s): Mr G & Mrs D Kolivos
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse (Randwick)
