Piccolo laying the foundations

By Glenn Davis

Far North Queensland hobby trainer Dean Piccolo knows you can’t build on a weak foundation.

The one-horse trainer who hails from the tiny town of Aloomba, south of Cairns, is a bricklayer by trade and has held a trainer’s licence for 13 years.

Piccolo, who runs his own bricklaying business employing five workers, is the partner of Innisfail-based trainer Maria Potiris.

Both will head to Cairns on Thursday with Piccolo saddling in-form sprinter Skogafoss in the Benchmark 65 Handicap while Potiris will target the Benchmark 58 Handicap with Piccapeppa.

“I live on a farm at Aloomba, near Gordonvale, but I don’t have any track riders so I just treadmill him here most days and rotate him to Maria’s at Innisfail for trackwork,” Piccolo said.

“I’ve been training since 2012, but I’ve only got one in work that’s racing at the moment, and I trained my first winner at Gordonvale that year.”

Piccolo bought Skogafoss, who is named after a waterfall in Iceland, at an Inglis online auction from Godolphin for only $11,000.

The former James Cummings-trained sprinter is raced by Piccolo’s mother Maria Piccolo, sister Joanne Prien and Potiris.

“I’ve learnt off old-time trainers and I like the breed of his sire Lonhro and others likes Exceed and Excel,” Piccolo said.

Piccolo’s parents weren’t involved in the racing industry, but he’s always loved horses.

“My brother, Michael, and I have always been around horses since we were kids and I’ve learnt off trainers like Ralph Baker and Lawrence Reys,” he said.

Skogafoss could be aimed at the upcoming Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival depending on his form.

So far, the three-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong and is yet to miss a place since joining Piccolo with three wins and as many placings from six starts.

“I’ll just take things race-by-race and let him tell me if he’s up to it,” Piccolo said.

“Otherwise, there’s a big spelling paddock for him here.”

Piccolo expects Skogafoss to be competitive again following his latest win in a 1360 metre Benchmark race at Gordonvale on May 10.

“It’s a good field he’s in this time and Tycoon Beau looks the one to beat,” he said.

Meanwhile, Potiris is hopeful Piccapeppa will be competitive despite winning once in 30 starts.

Piccapeppa is coming off a last start third on a rain-affected track in a 1400 metre Benchmark race at Cairns on May 15.  

“Hopefully, he’s improved since his last run in when it just got too wet for him,” Potiris said.