Group 3 winner Malavio has been included in the 2015 Ramornie Handicap field and is set to make his debut for new trainer Mario Caltabiano in the Listed event at Grafton tomorrow.
Malavio scored the biggest win of his racing career in the 2013 Tramway Handicap. Photo by: Steve Hart
Malavio was sent to the spelling paddock after he failed to beat home a runner in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 18 and connections opted to remove him from the stable of trainer Steve Englebrecht and send him to Queensland under the care of Caltabiano.
The Snitzel gelding made his first appearance for his new trainer when he finished second behind Shapin Lady in a barrier trial over 900 metres at the Gold Coast on June 9 and he showed that he was ready for a return to racing when he finished fourth in another trial over 1000 metres at the same venue on July 2.
Malavio has been allocated the top weight of 58 kilograms in the Ramornie Handicap and he will likely need to return to the form that he showed during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival to be any chance in the race.
The tough gelding started his racing career in March of 2011 with a flat effort in Newcastle and he broke through for his first race win in April of the same year.
Malavio worked his way through the grades impressively and he was transferred to the care of Englebrecht before he made his black type racing debut with an impressive win in the 2012 edition of the Civic Stakes (1400m).
He added another Stakes win to his racing resume with a tough victory in the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m) and, after missing the 2013 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, he claimed the biggest win of his career in the Group 3 Tramway Stakes (1400m) – where he beat the likes of Royal Descent, Sacred Falls, Sizzling, Fawkner and Shoot Out.
Malavio made his Group 1 debut in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and he finished less than a length behind Boban in fifth position, but he has been unable to replicate that sort of form since and he has not finished in the placings since his third place finish in the 2014 edition of the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.
Malavio is currently available at 2015 Ramornie Handicap odds of $26 with Ladbrokes, while I’ve Got The Looks ($3.80) is a clear favourite from Thump ($7) and Barbed ($8).
