An opportunity for a further Group One conquest on domestic tracks has motivated the Campione D’italia connections to advance to the concluding segment of the two-year-old triple crown, seeking a second prestigious prize in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick.

Seeking to mirror stablemate Militarize’s trail from three years ago, the colt will try for the Sires’ Produce Stakes-Champagne Stakes double, with Chris Waller, his trainer, arguing it is sensible to provide another crack at a local elite race now that he is in excellent shape and matched at set weights.

“Group Ones are so hard to win, and when you’re in good form and there’s a Group One race just for two-year-olds in your backyard, (it’s hard to ignore),” Waller said.

“When he returns, he will have a Group One penalty in The Run To The Rose. We’ve got a few up-and-comers coming through, and you don’t know where you draw.

Then you’ve got to go to the Caulfield Guineas and travel first time around Caulfield.

There are a lot of unknowns, whereas he’s here.”

Campione D’italia boasts a stellar juvenile record, securing the Skyline Stakes (1200m) on his second run and surging late for an impressive fourth place in the Golden Slipper (1200m) before dominating the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

Out of champion Snitzel, the colt tops a field of 13 in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) with a solid barrier four draw and James McDonald in the irons.

From the same stable come Fireball (gate two) and Saturday Fernhill Mile conqueror Diameter (eight), while four fillies include Sires’ Produce Stakes runner-up Miss Chanel plus Ben Brisbourne’s Grinzinger Heart and Salann.

Over the previous 20 years, fillies have won the Champagne Stakes on six occasions, the freshest example being She’s Extreme in 2022.

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