School is back in as Valpolicella races towards more distance goals

By Pat McLeod

School is back in for Tony Zammit’s boom distance chaser Valpolicella at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Back racing after a six-week break, the Shima Shine and Saldana champion has some massive goals in her direct path after going into her ‘holiday’ with a red-hot winning streak.

“I feel excited about her return, but she is more excited,” the celebrated trainer said.

Valpolicella will have a home-coming in a free for all race over 710 metres at ‘The Creek’.

“She is showing that she is very keen to be racing," Zammit said.

“I am very happy with where she is at right now, but she needs this 700 metre race and it will definitely benefit her.

“It will be an easier run for her because, although it is over 700 metres, it is a track that she knows and loves racing there.”

In her last two runs before taking a break from racing Valpolicella won the Group 1 Gold Cup over 710 metres at Albion Park on February 1 and then the Group 1 Zoom Top over 730 metres at The Meadows on February 10.

Now, Zammit has mapped out another big race campaign for his kennel star beginning with the Group 1 Association Cup over 720 metres at Wentworth Park (Final on April 13), the $500,000-to-the-winner The 715 at The Gardens over 715 metres (Final on May 4) and the Sandown Cup over 715 metres, with that Final on May 24.

The May, 2021, bitch has raced just 42 times for 22 wins, 14 placings and a prize money tally of $397,660.

Zammit believes that although Valpolicella has already shown plenty, she still has the capacity to learn and improve.

“I believe that as a race dog she is still on the way up,” Zammit said.

“In all her runs, she improves each time. So, she is still learning, but hasn't been over-raced. She may not improve a lot time-wise, but she can in the way that she races. The improvement I would really like to see would be in her start.

“If she can show a little bit more early, then she doesn’t have to go around or inside as many dogs. If you look at the champion dog Palawa King. He always comes out four lengths behind. So, he always has to rely on getting the right run through to finish with the burst that he does.

“Valpolicella, she has learnt to come out a little bit better. That is exactly what she did when she won the Zoom Top."

She is a very good learner, Zammit says.

"The more she races on a track the better she positions herself when she races there," Zammit said. 

“On Thursday night at Albion Park I hope that learning continues and I am hoping that she positions herself second or third around the first corner.

“So, she is starting better and also finding the rail more, which means she is improving as a race dog.

“She is showing a little bit more of a liking to finding the rail earlier. Before, she wanted to be wide, but now she's going inside dogs and jumping a little bit better.”

Valpolicella faces a strong field of locals on Thursday night that includes Tom Tzouvelis’ in-form Amendola, who has won four of his last five outings.

Thursday night’s Albion Park program also houses four heats of the Easter Trophy fifth grade over 520 metres.

And, there is also an interesting best eight race over 520 metres, which includes sprint sensation Jay Is Jay (box four).

The Albion Park 520 metre track record holder (29.35 seconds), like Valpolicella, will be heading to Wentworth Park in the coming weeks, with his target the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg.

Jay Is Jay made his Albion Park return last Thursday night, cruising to victory in a best eight event over 520 metres in a slick 29.63 seconds. 

However, that was not the best of the night time.

That honour went to Cyndie Elson’s Cyndie’s Cyndie, who clocked a very smart 29.58 seconds in a fourth grade 520 metre race.

Cyndie’s Cyndie will exit box one on Thursday night in the best eight event, setting up a noteworthy clash with Jay Is Jay.