RIVELLINO BACK AND BEING READIED FOR GROUP 1 TARGET

RIVELLINO, favorite for Newcastle 2YO Of The Year honours, is on a Golden Rose path.

The colt is back at trainer Kris Lees’ stables being prepared for the 1400m Group 1 target at Rosehill Gardens on September 27 early in his three-year-old season.

Rivellino was turned out after an excellent maiden racing campaign, which included three wins – all at Royal Randwick – from five starts.

The Too Darn Hot youngster scored on debut over 1000m on January 4, then also took the $2m Inglis Millennium (1100m) on February 8 and Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on March 1.

Rivellino subsequently finished fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 23, and fifth in the Group 1 Sires (1400m) at Randwick on April 5.

He spelled at Segenhoe in the Hunter Valley, where the colt’s part-owner Peter O’Brien is general manager.

“Rivellino had a good break, and is in great order,” Lees’ stable spokesman Danny Greer said today.

“He has been back a few weeks, and will trial toward the end of the month.

“Kris’ plan is trial Rivellino twice and then give him two lead-ups to the Golden Rose at the end of September.”

Initially known as the Peter Pan Stakes, the feature race for early three-year-olds became the Golden Rose in 2003 and attained Group 1 status in 2009.

Broadsiding won last year’s Golden Rose first-up, but had raced in Brisbane during the winter and thus had residual fitness.

Stablemate Adelaide River missed the Listed McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday with a minor foot injury, but has recovered quickly.

“He will resume later in the month, and have a tick-over trial beforehand.” Greer said.

Fellow import Changingoftheguard has remained in work after his eighth to Sir Lucan in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on June 14.

That was his first start since finishing second to First Light in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Randwick on September 28.

“Changingoftheguard will go to Melbourne to run in a 2500m Quality at Flemington on August 2, and then return home,” Greer said.

Lees won’t have a runner in Saturday’s Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast, having decided to give both Kind Words and Bestower breaks.

Kind Words from an awkward draw was a good third to Miss Joelene in the Listed Tatt’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday, and Bestower gave away a huge start when a late closing second in the Provincial Stayers Final (2500m) at the Ipswich Cup meeting a week earlier.

Memoria and Cloudland will both line up in Saturday’s Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.

. Today’s scheduled meeting on the Beaumont track at Newcastle was initially postponed because of the wet weather, and has now been abandoned.

Story John Curtis, July 1, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos