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The $5 million Golden Slipper is calling for the improving Chris Waller-trained Campione D’Italia following the colt’s shock win in the 2026 Skyline Stakes results at Randwick on Saturday.

After finishing dead last on debut in the Listed Lonhro Plate, which also produced today’s Sweet Embrace winning filly Spicy Miss (2nd), the son of Snitzel showed huge improvement when narrowly denying his unraced stablemate Central Europe in an all-Waller quinella in the Group 2 $300,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m).

“He’s always shown promise, and hence the reason why we’ve thrown him in the deep end,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“In his first start and again here today, we haven’t backed off when he did a lot wrong.

“We stuck to our guns, went back to the trials. Good team of track riders at home, just been working on getting him to relax.

“He’s a kind horse, but he’s just so competitive. So, when those barriers open, he wants to get to the bend first and we’ve got to teach him to get to the winning post first. We’re getting there.”

Going out as a 40/1 outsider in the markets, Campione D’Italia was ridden by Tommy Berry who had the progressive youngster settled well back in the field.

Coming on with 200m to go, Berry began his move to reach the leading pack and just salute as the winning galloper stretched his neck out right on the line to get the job done in a thrilling photo finish.

Central Europe ($11) was an eye-catching flashing into second with a late run right down the outside, while the Chris & Corey Munce-trained Star Of Jamaica ($21) was also good at a big price getting up for third.

The previously undefeated Warwoven ($1.80F) meanwhile slipped badly in the gates just before jump which cost him greatly.

The odds-on favourite was then forced to the inside rail but held for a brave fourth with excuses under a half-length beaten.

“Really happy with him,” Warwoven’s jockey Rachel King said.

“He slipped pretty badly out of the gates which wasn’t ideal.

“Both back legs went from underneath him.

“He kept finding well. Will take plenty of improvement from the run.”

The upset victor has been slashed in from $101 to $21 in futures Golden Slipper betting at Ladbrokes.com.au, but history is against him with Dance Hero (2004) the latest to do the Skyline / Slipper double.

“The beauty of the Golden Slipper is there’s going to be speed, well you’d expect there will be speed, so I don’t think you’ll get a chance to over-race in a Golden Slipper,” Waller, who will be after his second Slipper win after his 2023 victory with Shinzo, said when discussing Campione D’Italia’s chances in the March 21 feature.

“I would say so (he’ll go to the Slipper next).

“He’s already had a little bit of racing. We’ve got to respect him beyond a Golden Slipper too.”

Today’s impressive Skyline runner-up on debut, Central Europe has shot to the top of the all-in Golden Slipper odds firming from $51 to $9, while one-time favourite Warwoven has eased out from $6 to $9.

“He was awesome,” Waller said of Central Europe.

“He did a few little things wrong, and that’s the negative about running in these big races first-up.

“Their little problems get highlighted, exaggerated. He was a bit fresh the first 200 or 300 metres of the race.

“He was trying to shoulder Campione D’italia out and he wouldn’t budge.

“There was a little bit of argy-bargy there, but it didn’t knock him off his game, and gee, he was strong late.

“He’ll run on the Pago Pago in two weeks’ time, and he’ll go to the Golden Slipper or the Sires’ Produce.”

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