As disappointing as it was, Profondo’s defeat in Saturday’s Gr 3 Gloaming Stakes wasn’t a complete surprise to connections. When you’ve got a green colt having only his second career start in a high pressure stakes race, you don’t expect miracles. Trainer Richard Litt and owners Ottavio and Wendy Galletta knew his inexperience was the one thing that could bring about his downfall. Their worst fears were realised!
To call Profondo a “boom” horse might be a little over the top, but the $1.9 million dollar yearling has certainly had a few tongues wagging since his very first barrier trial. Between April and August he trialled four times for three easy wins and a fourth. The consensus was that he was a lovely colt with an action to match.
Richard Litt has already established himself as a trainer who’s prepared to think outside the square. He simply can’t see the sense in running green horses in races that will put them outside their comfort zones. “Had I run him first up over 1200m he would have been scrambling to stay in touch which would have done nothing for his confidence,” said the expatriate Kiwi. “As long as you’ve got the miles into their legs, surely it’s better for a future stayer to get into a rhythm and learn to balance up. That was my feeling about Profondo. I know many disagreed with me.”
The Deep Impact colt was squarely under the microscope when he made his debut in a 1400m maiden on the Kensington track in early September. The “wraps” saw him installed as a $3.60 favourite. His jockey Robbie Dolan had devoted countless hours to his education and had ridden him in all four trials. After covering extra ground early and looking very unsure of himself, Profondo ran on sheer instinct and raw talent to beat John Singleton’s royally bred filly Mokulua.
Profondo wins first up over 1400m on the Kensington track in early September - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
In his Kenso debut and in four previous barrier trials it’s almost certain the handsome colt had never been so much as “flicked” with the whip on his near side. It’s equally certain that one innocuous slap on Saturday cost him the Gr 3 Gloaming Stakes. After a perfect run in the one out and one back slot, Profondo sauntered up to the leaders Akahata and Notions approaching the 200m. Head Of State had emerged quickly from the ruck and was the only evident danger.
As Profondo cleared the leaders he appeared “lost” for a few strides prompting Robbie Dolan to administer one small reminder, on the nearside - the colt’s reaction was completely unexpected. In one of the most abrupt shifts you’ll ever see, Profondo went from four horses off the fence to be hard against the rail in a few strides. Dolan checked, Profondo’s momentum was halted and Head Of State snatched the Gloaming Stakes prize by a neck.
Head Of State showed the benefit of seven race starts and the advantage of going into Saturday’s race with three recent runs under his belt. A perfect James McDonald ride didn’t do him any harm either. The American Pharoah colt enjoyed a soft run a little worse than midfield and presented at exactly the right time. He went as straight as a gunbarrel to the line and has emerged as a horse who’s learned his trade well.
Head Of State's race experience made the difference in the Gloaming Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Richard Litt was present at Rosehill. Ottavio and Wendy Galleta watched the race at home. All were thrilled with their star pupil’s performance. All could see he’d paid the penalty for inexperience.
All anxiously await his next appearance in the $1 million dollar Spring Champion Stakes on October 9th.
To win the prestigious 2000m Gr 1 at only his third race start looms as a tough ask for Profondo, but it’s the logical way to go. Richard Litt would have preferred to have one extra run under the colt’s belt but in racing there’s no such thing as an ideal world. In Profondo he has a horse with adequate miles in his legs who should relish 2000m at Randwick on October 9th. The only question mark hanging over his head is the matter of racecraft. That’s one thing he won’t learn at home in the stable.
For the first eight years of its history, the race was called the Australasian Champion Stakes and was run during the autumn carnival. When the AJC Committee made the momentous decision to switch the historic Derby to an autumn date, the Champion Stakes was renamed and moved to the spring. In fact the AJC Derby wasn’t run at all in 1978 to accommodate the change. The autumn Derby made its debut in 1979 and started in spectacular fashion when Dulcify was beaten by Double Century but awarded the race on protest.
The Spring Champion Stakes has been run under that name 42 times (abandoned in 2007 during the equine influenza crisis). No three year old has been able to win the race at his or her third race start. History also reveals that no horse has been able to win at his or her fourth outing. The least experienced winners of the race are Nothin’ Leica Dane, Dignity Dancer, Viking Ruler, Hotel Grand, Teranaba, Monaco Consul, It’s A Dundeel, Complacent, and Maid Of Heaven who all won at their fifth race start. Profondo of course is totally unaware of such statistics.
The Spring Champion Stakes isn’t the only race on Richard Litt’s radar at the moment. The man who took Castelvecchio to two Gr 1 wins and a W.S Cox Plate second placing, is hoping a Four Pillars slot holder has noticed the current form of Canyonero. The six year old gelding has won two of his last four starts in emphatic fashion in the Galletta colours. “A BM68 over the Rosehill 1500m is a perfect race for Canyonero,” says Richard. “Given a decent barrier he could race handy in the big field and finish off as he did in winning the Randwick Midway recently. If Canyonero is snapped up, stablemates Catapult and Black Duke are also available for the $700,000 race. Black Duke has some recent stakes form around him.”
Canyonero (Jason Collett) scores decisively in The Midway 18/09/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Richard Litt first got a taste for Sydney racing when he had working stints with Bart Cummings, Graeme Rogerson and John O’Shea. He eventually persuaded his father Jim, a registered trainer in NZ to try his luck in Sydney. Father and son set up shop at Warwick Farm with a handful of mediocre horses. Just as moderate success was starting to come their way, the premature death of Richard’s brother Jay forced Jim Litt back to New Zealand.
Some months later Jim made the decision to remain at home but warmly encouraged Richard to acquire his own trainer’s licence. One of the horses Jim left behind was a Stratum mare called Klisstra who just a few months later would launch his son’s Australian training career. “Klisstra won the Braidwood Cup with Tracy O’Hara in the saddle,” said Richard. “It was a low key start but a Cup is a Cup wherever it’s run.”
As Richard stood with the modest trophy in his hand at Braidwood on February 11th 2017, how could he ever have imagined that just two years later he’d be doing the same thing in a different theatre. This time he was wearing suit and tie, and he was standing on the winner’s dias at historic Randwick accepting the trainer’s trophy after winning his first Gr 1 - the time honoured Champagne Stakes with Castelvecchio.
When you’re hot you’re hot! Just one week after the Braidwood Cup win Richard was in the winner’s circle again with his first city winner. Il Mio Destino, another hand me down from father Jim, led most of the way to win a fillies and mares BM70 at Canterbury with Tim Clark in the saddle. Richard won another one at Canterbury with the Nadeem mare a few months later.
Richard's first city win with Il Mio Destino under the lights at Canterbury 2017 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
A horse called Ashkannd was instrumental in forging Richard’s association with Ottavio Galletta in late 2017. A leading player in the construction industry for many years, Galletta was scaling down his racing involvement after having had a number of horses in major stables. He was anxious to link up with a smaller stable. “I had mixed feelings when Ashkaand arrived at the Litt stables,” said the trainer. “I was very flattered that Ottavio was prepared to give me a chance, but concerned that Ashkaand had the reputation of being difficult to train. “Add to that the fact that the horse had been with Chris Waller, so I was on the back foot straight away.”
Richard was relieved and delighted to win consecutive city races with Ashkaand in a short time. Ottavio expressed his delight by purchasing a Dundeel colt at the 2018 Inglis Classic sale and placing him in the Litt stable. Named Castelvecchio that $150,000 colt won almost $3 million dollars and is now a member of the elite stallion ranks at Arrowfield Stud.
Ottavio Galletta made a further heavy investment in the industry early last year when he purchased the Hope St. stables previously occupied by multiple Gr 1 winning trainer Clarry Conners. Richard Litt was installed as resident trainer with a capacity of 24 horses. “It’s the perfect number,” he says. “We’re able to keep tabs on every horse around the clock.”
He’ll be keeping tabs on a certain Deep Impact colt over the next couple of weeks. Like his trainer, Profondo has come a long way in a short time. To date he’s been running on a sound foundation, sheer natural talent and perhaps a little bit of fear. All the time those around him can see the sleek racing machine evolving.
The Spring Champion Stakes has rolled around all too quickly, but Profondo doesn’t know that. If he steers a straight course on Saturday week he might just carve himself a little piece of racing history.
Richard is very much a hands-on trainer. Here he is at Gosford after a win with Amusez Moi - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Profondo failed narrowly in the Gloaming Stakes after racing erratically. Head Of State raced truly to beat him by a neck - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)