Talented stayer Lombardi (NZ) (Verdi) made a stylish return in his new preparation on Wednesday at Riccarton Park, putting away a tidy field in the Rangiora Equine Veterinary Services (1600m).
The son of Verdi recorded a pair of victories through the spring and placed in the Listed Sothy’s Spring Classic (2000m) before racing ungenerously and fading in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m).
His trainer and co-owner Bruce Smith allowed the gelding some time in the paddock, before assembling a plan to get to the Listed Positive Signs and Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), kicking off in the midweek contest.
Richard Stomper (NZ) (El Roca) and Sprocket Rocket (NZ) (What’s The Story) battled for favouritism, with the former closing on top at $3, but his hopes were dwindled at the start when missing away by four lengths. Lombardi had also been a stride slow, but soon made up ground on the inside and settled into a rhythm for jockey Leah Hemi.
Tide And Time (NZ) (Time Test) went straight to the lead and was tested first by Fellini (NZ) (Belardo), but by the 200m, Lombardi had swallowed up the leaders and began to draw away, powering through the line to score by 1-1/4 lengths. Richard Stomper made up a huge amount of ground to finish second ahead of Sprocket Rocket.
Central Districts-based Hemi has been aboard the six-year-old in 11 of his 28 starts and praised the training effort of Smith.
“It was a little bit uncharacteristic for him to pull in the Cup, but he’s had a bit of time away and Bruce has got him really on target,” she said.
“He just feels amazing, this horse just keeps improving. Bruce knows what he’s doing, I don’t ever question him and he tells me to get on and away I go. He’s got him down pact.
“He’s definitely one of them (her favourite horses).”
With the Wingatui feature now firmly in his sights, Smith plans to take Lombardi to the Ashburton meeting on February 23, before taking on the $170,000 feature a week later.
“He’s a nice horse, this is a stepping stone to where I’m going with him and he’s come back bigger and stronger,” Smith said. “We got a few things wrong last year, but I know how good he is, I think he’s a very nice horse.
“He had a month and a half out at the owner’s place and he’s come back in, he hasn’t had a big prep just six or eight weeks at the max. He’s just jogged around at home.
“He’ll go to Ashburton next and his long-term goal is the Dunedin Gold Cup and St Leger.
“I’m going to have a bit of fun.”
Now a winner of five races, Lombardi has earned more than $130,000 for Smith and the remainder of his ownership group, which includes breeder Angela Hutchinson. He was the first foal out of her Kingmaker mare Queen’s Pal, a full-sister to stakes performer Kings Pal.
Hemi was back in the winner’s circle at short notice, winning the C S Stevens Memorial Banks Peninsula Cup (1100m) aboard South Of Houston.
The Terri Rae-trained mare was coming out of the Listed Timaru Stakes (1200m) last start, and after settling in behind the speed early, she found the gap on the rail in the straight and held off La Bella Nera (NZ) (Sweynesse) to win by just shy of a length.
“She drew one and there was quite a lot of speed outside us, so it was quite nice to get in the trail there,” Hemi said.
“It took her a few strides to really come up underneath me, but when she got balanced up, she hit the line really nicely.”
Owned by Monovale Holdings, South Of Houston has won five of her 18, and twice since joining Rae’s stable in the spring.
