First southern hemisphere stakes winner for Caravaggio as The Fortune Teller strikes at Randwick

Former Coolmore Stud shuttler Caravaggio sired his tenth individual stakes winner and first in the southern hemisphere when the Tom Marquand-ridden The Fortune Teller came out on top of a photo finish to win the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. 

The three-year-old colt stayed on bravely all the way to the line to defeat Matcha Latte by a nose, with Wolverine two and three-quarter lengths away in third. The colt was bought for A$90,000 (£49,000/€55,000) at the Inglis Digital August Sale in 2020 and he is out of the winning Commands mare National Velvet, making him a half-brother to the winning Velours Bleu. 

Caravaggio shuttled to Australia in 2018, when he covered 143 mares. The stallion’s northern hemisphere-bred stakes winners are headed by dual Group 1 winner Tenebrism. 

After standing at Coolmore’s Irish base for three seasons, Caravaggio was relocated to the operation’s Kentucky farm in 2021 and he was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association last year.  

Following The Fortune Teller’s victory, joint-trainer Ciaron Maher said the colt could be headed north for Queensland. 

“We made the decision to bring him up hoping the favourite [Osipenko] was going to be scratched, which then made it a very attractive race,” said Maher. 

"We made the decision to come here anyway and then we just hoped it [Osipenko] came out. I just thought Bendigo, a colt, probably won’t do much for him. Up here, it was a bit of a punt but it worked. The team have done a great job. 

"He’s always been a very consistent, high-class colt, with a great group of owners who have been long-time supporters and good friends, and Tommy Marquand was very strong. Perfect. He’s going the right way, he may end up in Brisbane.”  

On what was the first day of The Championships at Randwick, New Zealand's champion sire Savabeel was on red-hot form with a Group 1 double, courtesy of I Wish I Win and Major Beel in the TJ Smith Stakes and Australian Derby.

Darley's Territories was also on the board, this time at Ascot, when his Live To Tell landed the Furphy - Gimcrack Stakes. 

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