Fresh off celebrating the success of their former stable runner Heberite‘s success in the Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) on Thursday, New Zealand trainers Brian and Shane Anderton have turned their attention to Riccarton‘s Saturday meeting.
The father and son duo will line-up just the one runner at the Christchurch meeting, promising four-year-old Capo Dell Impero in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 74 (1800m).
The son of Ghibellines has been in good form of late, winning two of his last three starts and runner-up behind Saturday race rival and equal top weight Are You Cereal.
The pair have been lumbered with 60kg, however, Are You Cereal will benefit from apprentice jockey Wesley Papier‘s three-kilogram claim, while the Andertons have elected to stay with senior rider Jacob Lowry.
Despite the impost, Brian Anderton believes his charge is a big chance, but he admitted to being flabbergasted when he saw the weights.
“He has got a real show, but I am not too happy with his handicap,” Anderton said.
“He is equal top weight with a horse who has won six races and beat him the last time they met, and it went on to run second in an open handicap in its next start.
“We have only got a three-win horse and are on equal weights – that has got me beat.”
Capo Dell Impero shares the same lineage as some talented stable predecessors and Anderton believes he has a big future.
“He is out of a sister to Patrick Erin and Gallant Boy,” he said.
“He is a really nice horse in the making, we have got a lot of time for him.”
The Andertons were contemplating sending Capo Dell Impero for a spell after his last start, but they have elected to give him one more run before he goes for a break in preparation for spring racing.
“He is going out in the paddock after Saturday,” Anderton said. “He got over his last race so well we thought we would go to the well once more.”
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