Kris Lees’ two-year-old Rivellino wins debut race at Randwick

Trainer Kris Lees may have a new star sprinter in the making with his two-year-old colt Rivellino. The son of Too Darn Hot earned a victory in his very first ever race on Saturday in the Drinkwise Plate (1000m) at Randwick.

Rivellino finished first by nearly two lengths to Paul Perry’s The Magic Man. The Rob and Luke Price Racing-trained Commanding Belle finished third, 4.1 lengths behind Rivellino.

Rivellino delivers

While it is always surprising for a horse as young as Rivellino to dominate in their debut race like he did at Randwick, the colt was one of the clear betting favourites.

Rivellino had $3.60 chances to win from the betting sites heading into Saturday’s showcase race. James Cummings’s Cryoseisms ($4.20) and Amanda Turner’s Point Score ($4.80) were the second and third-favourites, respectively. 

Besides the betting apps odds, Rivellino also had family history on his side.

His sire, British horse Too Darn Hot, won his first race by seven lengths in the UK. Rivellino’s dam, Intrinsic, also won her debut race. The Lees-trained mare won her first race at Wyong Racecourse over eight years ago.

“He keeps getting better”

After Rivellino’s big win, Kris Lees Racing representative Cameron Swan spoke about his team’s rising star.

“He’s a horse that just keeps getting better. He was very professional today and it was an easy watch,” Swan said.

The stable representative also let it slip that Lees’ team weren’t certain of what they would see from Rivellino on Saturday.

“He was a bit out of his comfort zone in his first trial. It was a really quick trial and he didn’t know what he was doing.”

However, Swan also added that: “He came through that really well and improved into his next trial and he improved out of that into this.

“I don’t know where his ceiling is but he’s a really nice colt.”

Rising jockey Benjamin Osmond, who rode Rivellino at Randwick, also took time to praise the horse after the Drinkwise Plate on Saturday.

“He can be a bit cheeky at home but it was good that he came here and was actually quite professional in everything that he did.

“He got a good run, they set up a good speed and he seemed to do it quite comfortably,” Osmond said.

Inglis Millennium being considered

It is probably too early to start thinking about Group 1 races for Rivellino. However, Swan says Lees’ team are eying next month’s Inglis Millennium.

“He travelled really nicely in the race and let down really well. Kris might be looking at a race like the Inglis Millennium in about five weeks. Going off that run, he’d be a chance in something like that,” Swan said.

The $2 million Inglis Millennium is set to be run at Randwick on February 8.